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MODEEI GREECE: 



A NARRATIVE 



OF A 



RESIDENCE AND TRAVELS IN THAT COUNTRY 



OBSERVATIONS ON ITS ANTIQUITIES, LITERATUKE, LANGUAGE, 
POLITICS, AND RELIGION. 



BY HENRY M. BAIRD, M.A. 



ILLUSTRATED BY ABOUT SIXTY ENGRAVINGS. 




■^,.-^- 



NEW YORK: 

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERg^ 
FRANKLIN SQUARE. 

1856. 





Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand 
eight hundred and fifty-six, by 
/ 
Harper & Brothers, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District 

of New York. 



.^ 







PREFACE. 



The author of this volume spent a year at Athens, 
for the prosecution of special studies, and traveled ex- 
tensively, both in Peloponnesus and in Northern Greece. 
During repeated tours, nearly every site famous in the 
ancient history of the country was visited, together with 
those places which have figured prominently in more 
recent transactions. The following pages are the result 
of observations noted at the time, although, for various 
reasons, the form of a diary has not been retained 
throughout. 

Several chapters have been devoted to the literature 
of Modern Greece — a subject to which little attention 
has been given, out of that country itself. The man- 
ners and customs, politics, religion and religious festi- 
vals, and the state of popular education, have been made 
the topics of separate examination. The author has 
taken great satisfaction in chronicling the unexampled 
progress of the Greek race in civilization and intelli- 
gence ; and, while advocating no particular theory as to 
its origin, has felt that sufficient interest and sympathy 
have not been entertained in Christian Europe and Amer- 
ica for the struggles of that race to free itself from the 
trammels of tyranny — poHtical, religious, and intellect- 
ual — with which so many centuries of barbarism had 
invested it. 



IV , PREFACE. 

About forty of the illustrations in this volume have 
been executed after original sketches from nature. 

The author can not abstain from expressing in this 
place his obligations to the Rev. Jonas King, D.D., and 
his estimable lady, whose house was his home for so 
many months, and whose suggestions were so useful to 
him in the prosecution of his plans. Nor would he fail 
to mention the Rev. Dr. Hill, and the Rev. Messrs. Ar- 
nold and Buel, who did all in their power to render his 
sojourn at Athens so fruitful of pleasant reminiscences. 
He would do injustice to his feelings were he to leave 
unnoticed the open cordiality that characterizes the Athe- 
nian men of letters, whether professors or students, an^ 
their readiness to facilitate the researches of the stranger. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

APPKOACH TO ATHENS. 
On the JEgean. — First Sight of Athens. — Importunate Boatmen. — 
Pirseus and its Harbor. — A Sciote Merchant. — Matrimonial Negotia- 
tions. — Plain of Athens. — A Panoramic View. — Kariskakis. — Olive 
Grove and Vineyards. — Oriental Habits. — An Unpatriotic Irish- 
man Page 13 

. CHAPTER n. 

FIRST IMPEESSIONS. 

Labjrinthine Streets. — Dr. King. — Scene at the American Consulate. 
— The Old Town. — Cypress and Palm-trees. — Post-office. — Medrese. 
— Market-place. — Grapes. — Mustale-\Tia. — General Church. — (Consti- 
tution of 1843. — Adventures in Italy. — Mr. Finlay, the Historian. — 
Mediaeval History. — American Missionaries 21 

CHAPTER in. 

THE ACROPOLIS. ^ 
Streets in Ancient Athens. — Walls of All Ages. — An Imprecation. — 
Turkish Prophecy. — Panathenaic Procession. — Propylaa. — Mutilated 
Statues. — Ancient Galleries of Paintings. — Ducal Tower. — Temple 
of Victoiy Apteros. — A'ea of Acropolis. — Parthenon. — Venetian 
Plunderers. — Chryselei^hautine Statue. — Frieze. — Excavations. — 
Antique Vases. — Erechtheum. — The Caryatids. — A Colossal Statue. 
— ^British Vandalism 30 

CHAPTER IV. 

AIS'TIQUITIES OF THE LOWER TOWN. 

The City of Hadrian. — His Gate. — Olympium. — Vicissitudes. — A New 
Simon Stylites. — Hissus. — Stadium. — Dandelion Salad. — Monument 
of Lysicrates. — Street of the Tripods. — Theatre of Bacchus. — Virgin 
of the Cave. — Odeum of Herodes. — Singular Fragments. — Monument 
of Philopappus. — The Long Walls. — Prison of Socrates. — Pnyx. — 
Demosthenes. — HiU of Mars. — Ancient Clock-tower. — Stoa of Ha- 
drian.— Gate of the New Market. — Stoa Poecile. — Theseum 48 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER V. 

WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 
Festival of St. Demetrius. — Visits. — Sweetmeats. — The Promenade. — 
Palace Garden. — Costumes of the Athenians. — Beads. — Greek La- 
dies. — Priests' Dress. — Long Hair worn in Token of Mourning. — 
Plan of Modern Athens. — House of a former Minister. — Digging 
through a "Wall. — Position of the Female Sex. — Mercenary Motives 
in Marriage Page 68 

CHAPTER VI. 

STUDENT LIFE IN ATHENS. 
University of Otho. — Professor Asopius. — University Lihrary. — Pro- 
fessor Bambas. — Translated the Bible. — Singular Meeting. — Other 
Professors. — Students' Quarters. — Low Salaries. — Student at the 
Cafe. — The Four Faculties. — Number of Professors and Students. — 
University educates Greeks from Turkey. — Crowded Lecture-room. 
— Popular Education. — Scientific Schools 77 

CHAPTER Vn. 

MODEEN GREEK CUSTOMS. 
Wedding in the Upper Circles. — A Greek Party. — The Bride and 
Groom. — Entrance of the Bishop. — Crowning the Pair, — A Cup of 
Wine. — A Circle made. — Sugar Plums. — A Compulsory Marriage. — 
Marriage among the Lower Orders. — Eelatives make the Match. — 
Preliminary Steps. — Gifts to the Bride's Father. — Nuptial Procession. 
— Bride carried away. — Termination of the Festivities. — A Greek 
Baptism. — Trine Immersion. — A Token given to Witnesses. — A Fu- 
neral Procession. — Colly va. — Offerings to the Dead 88 

CHAPTER Vin. 

THE COUET AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

American Vessels of War, — Colocotroni, Master of Ceremonies. — Ad- 
venture of an American Lieutenant. — Cautious Officers. — Presenta- 
tion at Court. — Queen Amelia. — King Otho. — The Constitution. — Con- 
stitutional Provisions. — Liberty Guaranteed. — Elections. — A Political 
Measure. — Kussian, French, and English Parties. — The Cro-wn in- 
dependent. — Bad State of Koads. — Banditti in the Mountains... 103 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE GREEK CHURCH. 
Nationality and Religion. — The Holy Sjmod. — Separation from the 
Patriarchate. — The Synodical Tome. — Pharmakides. — Differences 
from the Latin Church. — The Catechism of Plato. — Mariolatry. — 
The Parish Priests. — Ignorance and Corruption. — Pilgi-ims to the 
Holy Places. — Ecclesiastical Parties. — Obstacles to Missionary Suc- 
cess, — Dr. King. — Dr. Hill. — Hopeful Indications. 115 



CONTENTS. Vii 

CHAPTER X. 

CHURCH FESTIVALS AT ATHENS. 
Silent Streets. — The Twelve Gospels. — Persecution of the Jews. — 
Good Friday at St. Irene's. — The Epitaphion. — A Torchlight Proces- 
sion. — Kyi'ie Eleyson. — Easter Dawn. — Christos Aneste. — The Sec- 
ond Anastasis. — Dances at the Temple of Theseus. — The Romaica. 
— Blessing the Sea. — Feast of the Three Hierarchs. — Interior of a 
Church. — Celebration of the Mass, — Standing in Worship. Page 128 

CHAPTER XL 

THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 
Passports. — Leaving Pirseus. — A Party on Deck. — A Representative 
Electioneering. — Island of Hydra. — The Home of Liberty. — Nauplia 
from the Bay, — The Lernian Hydra. — Streets of Nauplia. — Plain of 
Argos, — Wall of Tiryns, — Description by Pausanias, — Mycense. — The 
Treasury of Atreus, — Acropolis of Mycenae, — Gate of Lions. — Its 
History. — A Dish of Snails. — Beggars at Argos, — Theatre in the 
Rock, — Market-place of Argos, — Murder of Capo d'lstria, — Pass of 
Troetus. — ^Rout of Drami Ali. — A Rainy Morning. — The Temple of 
Nemea. — Khan of Courtessa. — Shepherds' Huts. — The Inn at Cor- 
inth. — The Acrocorinthus, — St, Paul at Corinth. — The Isthmus. 137 

CHAPTER XII. 

^GINA AND EPIDAURUS, 
Mode of Traveling, — Selection of a Guide, — Delay at Pirasus, — ^Be- 
calmed on the Saronic Gulf, — Devotions of the Sailors. — The Island 
of vEgina. — Temple of Jupiter Panhellenius. — Sail to Epidaurus. — 
Declaration of Independence. — Ruins of Epidaurus, — Nicholas and 
the Agoyates. — Hiero of -^sculapius, — An Ancient Watering-place. 
—Nauplia 160 

CHAPTER XIII. 

MANTINEA—TRIPOLITZA— SPARTA, 
The Argolic Plain, — Routes into Arcadia, — A Katavothron, — Hysiee, — 
Plain of Mantinea, — Ruins of the Wall. — Battles at Mantinea. — -Small- 
ness of Grecian States, — Fair at Tripolitza, — A Murderous Assault, — 
Tegea. — A Country Papas. — Tardy Vegetation. — Battle-field of Sella- 
sia. — Vourlia. — A Portable Cradle. — Site of Ancient Sparta. — Roman 
Ruins. — Modern Sparta. — A Sarcophagus. — Interior of a Khan... 173 

CHAPTER XIV. 

MEGALOPOLIS AND MESSENE. 

Ride to " The Great City." — The Theatre. — Inquisitive Scholars. — Mo- 

reote Shepherds. — Messenian Plain. — Mount Ithome. — Struggles of 

Freedom. — Policy of Epaminondas, — Monastery of Vurcano. — Ruins 

of Messene. — The Great Gate. — Rustic Wonderment. — ^Dragoi,, 192 



viii CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEK XV. 

PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND AECADIA. 
Phigalea.— The Sirocco.— Temple of Apollo Epicurius.— Andritzena.— 
Banks of the Alpheus.— Tributaries of the Alpheus.— Vale of Olym- 
pia. — Temple of Jupiter.— Eide to Lala. — A Scene in the Kevolu- 
tion. — An Afternoon at Tripotamo. — Psophis. — A New Koute. — 
Village Discussion. — Clitor. — Ancient Coins. — Arcadian Shepherds. 
— Primitive Ploughs. — Greek Oaths. — Outlet of Lake Pheneus. — A 
Serious Mishap. — The Monastery of Phonia Page 203 

CHAPTEE XVI. 

STYX, MEGASPELION, AND VOSTITZA. 

A Costly Shrine.— A Monk's Views of Philosophy.— The Village of 
Solos. — Patriotic Exploits. — A primitive Lamp. — The " Eiver Styx." 
— Its mysterious Properties. — View of the Corinthian Gulf. — Birth- 
place of the Eevolution. — Calavryta. — Cross-questioning. — Monas- 
tery of Megaspelion. — The Monks. — St. Luke as a Sculptor. — The 
Wine-cellar. — Library. — History of Megaspelion. — Eide to Vostitza. 
— Bargaining for a Boat 218 

CHAPTER XVII. 

DELPHI— PARNASSUS— CHJSRONEA. 

Crossing the Corinthian Gulf. — Scala of Salona. — Crissa. — Necropolis 
of Delphi. — Village of Castri. — Castalian Fount. — Oracle of Apollo. 
— Ascent of Mount Parnassus. — Corycian Cave. — A Disappointment. 
— Schiste. — Daulis. — Panopeus. — Battle-ground of Ch^ronea. — 
Tumulus and Colossal Lion. — Population of Greece. — Lebadea or 
Livadia. — Cave of Trophonius. — Monastery of Scripu — Treasury of 
Minyas. — Acropolis of Orchomenus. — Lake Copais. — Victory of the 
Catalans. — A "Kake Scala." — Euins of Abse 232 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

THERMOPYLJi AND EUBCEA. 

Costume of the Women at Exarcho. — Hyampolis. — Masonry of the 
Ancients. — Elatea. — Seizure of Elatea by Philip. — Consternation at 
Athens. — The Papas at Pundonitza. — Pass of Thermopylge. — Change 
of Physical Aspect. — The Hot Springs. — Thessaly Phthiotis. — Lamia 
or Zeitun. — Eobbers. — Their Inroad into Eachi. — Tortures. — Larissa 
Cremaste. — Detention by a Health-officer. — Crossing to Euboea. — 
Oreos or Histisea. — Xerochori. — Fine Scenery.' — An Englishman's 
Estate. — Insecurity.— Traveling in Euboea. — Chalcis. — Discovery of 
Ancient Armor 249 



CONTENTS. ix 

CHArTER XIX. 

THEB12S AND ELEUSIS, 

Chalcis under Venetian Rule. — Euripus. — Bridge. — An Ancient Greek 
Road. — Site of Aulis. — Plain of the Asopus. — Tanagra. — Thebes. — 
ThebanPlain. — SiteofThespice. — Fountainof Aganippe. — Battle-field 
of Leuctra. — Plataa. — Battle-ground. — Ascent of Mount Citharon. 
— Acropolis of CEnoe. — Interior of a Tower. — Ancient Fortifications. 
— Hellenic Tower. — Village and Acropolis of Eleusis. — The Sacred- 
Way. — Monastery of Daphne. — Return to Athens Page 208 

CHAPTER XX. 

RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

Excursion to Marathon. — Cephisia. — Pass of Deceleia. — Plain of Mara- 
thon . — Cynosura. — Funeral Mound. — Battle-ground. — Numbers en- 
gaged. — Temple of Minerva Hellotis. — Marathona. — Return. — Ex- 
cursion to Sunium. — Fountains built by the Road-side. — Silver Mines 
of Mount Laurium. — Temple of Minerva at Sunium. — Excursion to 
Phyle. — Cephissus. — Colonos. — Caly\'ia of Khassia. — Fortress of 
Phyle. — View of Athens. — Thrasybulus at Phyle. — Excursion to the 
Marble Quarries of Pentelicus. — Village of Calandri. — The Ai-butus. 
— Quarries. — Inclined Plane. — Prospect from the Summit of Mount 
Pentelicus. — Mount Hymettus. — A Warrior Abbot. — Honey of Hy- 
mettus. — Straits of Salamis. — Battle of Salamis 283 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE. 

Close Resemblance to the Ancient. — Its Disadvantage in Comparison 
with other modern Languages. — Sounds of its Consonants and Diph- 
thongs. — Pronounced according to Accent. — Grammatical Changes. 
— Introduction of Words from Foreign Tongues. — Reaction within 
the present Century. — Influence of the University, the Government, 
and the Press. — Number of Newspapers and Periodicals at Ath- 
ens 307 

CHAPTER XXn. 

THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

Low Condition of Greece in the Last Century.— A Revival of Learn- 
ing. — New Schools. — A Religious Literature. — Remarks of Lord 
Byron. — " Cathreptes Gynaicon" — -Adamantius Coray. — His Early 
Life. — Taught by Bernard Keun. — Removes to France. — Translates 
Strabo.— Various Publications.^T-His Prolegomena. — Papa Trechas. 
— Religious Views of Coray. — Translates the "Advice of Three 
Bishops." — Considers the Revolution premature. — Neophytus Doukas. 
— His Views in respect to the Modern Greek, and those of Coray. — 
Publications of Doukas. — Panagiotes Soutsos. — Alexander Soutsos. — 

A2 



X CONTENTS. 

Eangabes. — Salomos. — Coumanoudes. — Lyric Poems of Christopou- 
los. — Neophytus Bambas. — Translation of the Bible. — A Text-book 
in the Schools. — Professor Asopius. — A. Kadinos. — Antiquities. — Pit- 
takes. — Archaological Society. — Historical Studies. — Germanos. — 
Speliades. — Tricoupes.— Mamoukas. — Mediaeval History. — Oriental 
Eesearches. — ^Demetrius Galanos. — A Greek Book in Roman Char- 
acters. — Pharmakides. — Influence of the Learned Professions. — 
Speech of Saripolos. — Greek Lexicography Page 313 

CHAPTER XXIIL 

BALLAD POETEY. 

Popular Songs of Greece. — Their Value. — Very short-lived. — Subjects 
of Ballads. — Principles of Greek Poetry. — The Kleftic Songs. — His- 
tory and Manners of the Klefts. — Their Head-quarters. — Incidents 
referred to in the Ballads. — Lament of a Wounded Kleft. — Death of 
Metros. — Parallelisms. — Song of Boucovallas. — Th&Panegyri. — SongS 
of the Plains. — On special Occasions. — At Parting. — At a Wedding. 
— Mcerologia, or Laments. — Religious Poems. — Remains of Popular 
Superstitions 343 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

TRIAL OF DR. KING. 
A Trial appointed. — Distribution of printed Handbills. — Appearance 
of the Court-room. — Trial not by Jury. — Witnesses for the Prosecu- 
tion. — Vagueness of the Testim6ny. — Its Irrelevancy. — Partiality of 
the Court. — Speech of the King's Attorney. — Counsel for the Ac- 
cused. — ^Dr. King not allovv^ed to defend himself. — Decision. — Sen- 
tence of Imprisonment and Banishment. — Excitement after the 
Trial. — Crafty Delay of the King's Attorney. — Appeal to the Areop- 
agus. — Its Decision. — Dr. King protests. — Opinions of the Press of 
Athens. — Other Grievances. — Mission of Mr. Marsh. — Evasive Policy 
of the Court. — The Greek Government finally yields. — Results of the 
Trial.... 355 

CHAPTER XXV. 

DEPARTURE FROM ATHENS— SYRIA— CORFU. 

Pirseus. — ^Daughter of Marco Bozzaris. — Mr. Contostaulos. — Manufac- 
ture of Silk. — The "Maid of Athens." — Remains of Piraus. — Altar 
of the "Unknown God." — Antipathy of Greeks to pubhc Executions. 
— Hermopolis, or Syra. — Its Commerce. — Schools of Rev. Mr. Hild- 
ner. — Bay of Navarino. — Zante. — Corfu. — Shrine of St. Spyridon. 
— A reputed Miracle. — Mission among the Jews. — Ancient Cor- 
cyra. — Ionian Confederation. — Italian Language supplanted by the 
Greek 368 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



View op Athens from the Stadium Title-page. 

Gate of Hadrian at Athens 13 

Acropolis from the Pntx 21 

The PROPYLiEA 30 

Temple op Victory without wings 37 

The Parthenon 38 

Frieze of the Parthenon .\ 41 

The Erechtheuim 43 

A Cartatis 44 

The ERECHTHEuai restored 46 

The Bema of the Pntx at Athens 48 

Choragic Monument op Lysicrates 55 

Street of the Tripods 56 

Odeum of Herodes = 58 

MoNuiviENT OF Philopappus 60 

Bas-relief from the Monument of Lysicrates 67 

HoROLOGiuiM OF Andronicus Cyrrhestes 68 

EuiNS OF the Temple of the Olysipian Jove 76 

University of Otho at Athens 77 

The Acropolis restored 87 

The Acropolis, from the Hill op the Museum. 88 

View of Athens '. 103 

A Greek Church 115 

Tezviple op Theseus at Athens 128 

Nauplia, from the Bay 137 

Arch in the Wall of Tiryns 144 

Gate of Lions at Mycen^ 149 

Temple of Jupiter at Nemea 155 

View op Corinth and the Acrocorinthus 159 

Temple op Jupiter at ^gina 160 

Interior of the Khan of Georgitzana 173 



Xll ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Wall of the Citadel at Argos 174 

View of Mount Taygetus from the Site of Sparta 184 

The Great Gate of Messene 192 

Ithome, from the Stadium of Messene 201 

Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bass^e 203 

EuiNS OF the Temple of Jupiter at Oltmpia 218 

Monastery of Megaspelion 226 

Interior of the Acropolis of CEnob 232 

View of Delphi and Mount Parnassus 237 

The Plain of Chjeeonea 241 

Ruined Tower near CEnoe 249 

Peasant Woman of Exarcho , 250 

View of Thermopylae 255 

The Acropolis of CEnoe 268 

Interior of a Tower at CEnoe 277 

The Plain of Marathon 288 

The Mound at Marathon 286 

View of Phyle 293 

Temple of Minerva at Sltjium 307 

Fortress of Phyle 313 

The Straits of Salamis 343 

House of Jonas King, D.D 355 

Gate of the New Agora 368 




JATE OF HADKIAJS AT ATHKNS. 



MODERN GREECE. 



CHAPTER I. 



APPEOACH TO ATHENS. 

"Whoever does not wish to see Athens, is foolish ; he who sees it and 
is not pleased with it, is more foolish ; but the climax of folly is to have 
seen it, to be pleased with it, and yet to leave it." — Ancient Author. 

On a beautiful morning toward the end of September, I 
found myself on board the French steam-ship Lycurge, off the 
eastern coast of Lacedgemonia. For the last three days, since 
leaving Yaletta, we had been sailing slowly and quietly over a 
motionless sea in a direct course for Cape Matapan. Only at 
noon, on the previous day, had the faint outline of distant 
mountains become perceptible ; and at dusk we approached 
the shores of Messenia. We were not yet near enough, how- 
ever, to view with any distinctness the island of Sphacteria, 
behind which was fought the Battle of Navarino. 



14 APPROACH TO ATHENS. 

The wind had been contrary all night, and we made but 
little progress after doubling Cape Matapan. When I came 
on deck in the morning, the first objects visible on shore were 
the high mountains, not very distant, that skirt this side of 
Peloponnesus. So barren did they seem, that scarce a patch 
of verdure relieved their rugged uniformity. Below this rocky 
chain could be descried, as though rising out of the waves, 
the sea-girt walls and towers of Monembasia, a locality which 
finds no record in ancient history, but has appeared conspic- 
uous in recent wars. Built, not unlike Gibraltar, on the end 
of a small peninsula, it is so strongly fortified both by nature 
and by art as to be nearly impregnable. 

The sea was calm and unruffled. Not a ripple could be seen 
disturbing its placid surface. The sky was cloudless, and the 
day one of the fairest of autumn. The clear atmosphere gave 
to all around a deceptive appearance, which was quite new 
to me. The most distant objects seemed close at hand, and I 
could scarcely credit the assertion of the captain that we were 
at least five or six miles from shore. The steamer plowed its 
way as over the dark blue waters of some small inland lake. 

We were n,ot many hours in crossing the mouth of the Ar- 
golic Gulf, and approaching the group of islands that lie off 
the extremity of the northeastern peninsula of the Morea. 
The pretty town of Spetzia appeared on our left, built upon 
the side of a hill and running down to the water's edge; In. 
half an hour more we were opposite the picturesque town of 
Hydra, where were born most of the distinguished naval com- 
manders in the Revolution. At length, about noon, wie en- 
tered the Saronic Gulf, and Attica itself came into sight. The 
passengers collected on the bows, and watched with eagei eyes 
the shore, which seemed rather to recede as we advanced. The 
only unconcerned spectators were a group of Frenchmen, who, 
seated on a pile of luggage on the forecastle, were div€*rting 
themselves with a game of cards. Running by the islaiid of 
^gina, on whose height we could easily distinguish with a 
glass the ruined columns of the temple of Jupiter, in the 
midst of a wild and desolate district, we made toward the port 
of Piraeus. For miles far out on the Saronic Gulf, a white 
building served as a beacon to indicate the site of Athens it- 



PIR^US ^VND ITS HARBOR. 15 

self. It was the palace of King Otho. The rest of the town 
was hidden from our sight by the hill of the Acropolis. Pres- 
ently we could see the high signal-pole standing on the prom- 
ontory Munychium. At about four o'clock we had rounded 
it, and were entering Piraeus through a narrow opening, guard- 
ed on both sides by the ruins of ancient moles. 

The paddle-wheels had scarcely ceased to move before we 
were surrounded by a multitude of row-boats, each manned 
by a Greek in the native costume, wearing the bright red fezi 
slouched on his head, and a long blue tassel fluttering in the 
wind. All were loud in their appeals ; but as the quarantine 
officers had not yet made us their visit, they kept a respectful 
distance. ''Have a boat, sirf^ '' Voulez-vous im Idteauf re- 
sounded from all quarters ; while the less favored linguists, re- 
lying mainly on the strength of their lungs to make themselves 
understood, poured forth a volley of unintelligible Greek, 
Though I had been schooling myself to the native pronuncia- 
tion under the friendly direction of a pleasant Sciote, whose 
lessons had relieved the tedium of the passage from Marseilles, 
their volubility was too much for my small practice. Rather 
than resign myself to the tender mercies of the boatmen, I re- 
solved to make common cause with my companion, the Greek 
merchant. After a short delay, leave was given us to land, 
and this served as a signal for the simultaneous onset of half 
a score of couriers and runners for the hotels, each eager to 
get custom. We soon found the one we wanted, and, having 
secured our luggage, embarked in one of the boats for shore. 
We left the motley group of watermen, expecting every mo- 
ment to see them fall from brawling to fighting; but their dis- 
putes never result in any thing more serious than the success 
of one in supplanting the rest. 

The harbor of Pirseus is less than three-fourths of a mile 
in length, and opens toward the west; where, between the 
piers that project from either side, a heavy chain was stretched 
during the earlier ages. The modern town lines the eastern 
side with a continuous row of neat white houses, generally 
two stories in height. A number of sloops and caiques were 
drawn up to the wharves, but the brigs and larger vessels 
stood out at anchor in deeper water. 



16 APPROACH TO ATHENS. 

A custom-house officer and a dozen idlers awaited our ar- 
rival on Grecian soil. The examination of our effects was 
brief, owing, perhaps, partly to the happy influence of a silver 
coin or two, which my companion managed to slip dexterously 
into the hand of the inspecting officer. We were in no mood 
after our long sea-voyage to remain longer than necessary at 
Piraeus. My friend and myself were equally intent upon 
reaching our journey's end, and enjoying a respite from the 
fatigue and vexation of travel. I am wrong, however, in 
representing our eagerness as equal. I had before me only 
the prospect of a long, though, it is true, far from uninterest- 
ing course of study, on classic ground. The Sciote who stood 
beside me, an intelligent man of five-and-forty, had accumu- 
lated a handsome fortune in foreign parts, and was connected 
with the extensive mercantile house of A. and Co.* He had 
come hither, as I subsequently learned, on an errand of love. 

* Mr. A., from his extensive business connections, was able to give 
me much valuable information respecting the Greek mercantile houses, 
which are every year increasing in number and in importance. I was 
astonished to learn how numerous they are. They already abound in 
England. Manchester may be styled their head-quarters, for there are 
no fewer than sixty Greek establishments in that city. London possesses 
forty more, and Liverpool seven. Trieste boasts of seventy, and Mar- 
seilles, Odessa, and Leghorn, each of more than twenty. How many 
are to be found in Constantinople it is quite impossible to state : cer- 
tainly one hundred would be a very small estimate. Such were the 
statements of a merchant, than whom no one could be found with bet- 
ter means of acquiring accurate information. The wonderful success 
of these commercial houses he attributed to their unity of action more 
than to any other single cause. Prudence in all their investments, com- 
bined with rare sagacity, has insured them against loss of capital and rep- 
utation. The great houses of Eallis, Argentis, and others, have branches 
all over the globe, each to a certain degree independent, and yet each 
reposing an implicit confidence in the others. In this way, by their tact 
and by their union, the Greek houses have begun to exercise an impor- 
tant influence on the trade of the East, which is little by Httle falling 
into their hands. Through their instrumentality, Manchester fabrics 
are distributed over Asia Minor in exchange for native produce. The 
Eastern war has doubtless augmented their influence upon the grain 
market of the world, and the number of Greek merchants at Liverpool 
must now be far greater than in 1851. Mr. A.'s statements are con- 
firmed in almost every particular by the writer of an able article on 
this subject in the New York Daily Times of October 20, 18.55. 



PLA.IN OF ATHENS. 17 

Having "vvell-nigli, if not quite, attained the age of an old 
bachelor, he had bethought himself of matrimony ; and, cast- 
ing about for a wife, had fixed his choice upon a certain dam- 
sel whose good looks and good qualities he had taken upon 
trust. The negotiations between the parents and himself (for 
it is not customary to attach much weight to the young lady's 
choice in such matters) had proved mutually satisfactory. 
The happy man was now on his way to Athens for the first 
time to find his betrothed, of whose personal appearance, ex- 
cept by means of a portrait and descriptions, he knew about 
as much as I did. The lady in question was also a native 
of Scio, whose children rarely marry into families of foreign 
extraction. 

Our courier had provided a carriage, one of the best the 
place could boast of, and we jumped in ; the Greek official 
touched his cap, and we rattled off through the streets of 
Piraeus. We noticed, in passing, that the streets along the 
wharves were well paved, and all the thoroughfares laid out 
with strict regard to symmetry and a regular plan. The bet- 
ter class of houses, too, were built of stone, neatly stuccoed. 
It was not long ere we emerged from the town, and entered 
upon the road which leads in a nearly direct line to Athens, 
a distance of about five miles. Nothing was requisite to be- 
guile our attention as we rode toward "the city," as the Athe- 
nian of the olden time was wont to style it by pre-eminence. 
We sat watching with no common emotion the various ob- 
jects that successively presented themselves to the eye. For 
the first time I began to realize that I was at length in Greece, 
and that the curtain was soon to rise upon the scene of so 
many triumphs of art and eloquence. As we issued from the 
streets of Pirseus, the heights back of the town intercepted 
the whole prospect ; but presently the plain of Athens unfold- 
ed itself before us in all its loveliness. On the right, but a 
few hundred yards distant, was the bay of Phalerum, running 
parallel to the road, and afterward making a gradual bend 
where the sea is nearest to Athens. Beyond it stretched the 
long ridge of Mount Hymettus, barren of trees and uncultivated. 
To the left, in the distance, rose the more pointed summit 
of Pentelicus, whose marble rock, exposed by the quarryings 



18 APPROACH TO ATHENS. 

weighed down under the heavy load of the dark-blue clusters, 
of past centuries, reflected the rays of the sun like new-fallen 
snow. Then came Mount Parnes, and a chain of lower hills 
running down from it to the sea-shore opposite the Straits of 
Salamis, whose rugged isle, cleft with many a deep ravine, 
terminated the panorama. In the midst of the plain could be 
descried, far on before us, the city of Athens itself, or rather 
a portion of it ; for the greater part lay concealed behind the 
Acropolis, on whose summit could barely be distinguished the 
columns of the Parthenon, so discolored by time as to have 
assumed a sober autumnal tint. 

For two or three miles the dusty road along which we drove 
has been built on the foundations of one of the " Long Walls" 
connecting Athens with its port. Adjoining it is a low, 
marshy meadow, in the middle of which stands a lonely mon- 
ument, small and plain, marking the grave of Kariskakis, who 
fell here in a conflict with the Turks during the Revolution. 
The ground about it is strewn with the bones of his brave 
comrades, and ever and anon, as the plough or some accident 
reveals to the sight a skull or a solitary bone, the peasant adds 
it to the heap which has accumulated within a neighboring in- 
closure, where the remains of so many heroes lie bleaching in 
the sun. 

Passing this spot, the road crossed the scanty bed of the 
Cephissus, and "entered the olive-grove which clothes either 
bank of the river with its dark-green foliage. The trunks of 
the olive-trees were thick, and occasionally assumed fantastic 
shapes like the willows that grow in some parts of Switzer- 
land. Emerging from the grove, which only flourishes where 
the trees can be constantly supplied with water, we came to 
vineyards, each surrounded with its low wall of sun-dried clay, 
and protected from the effects of sunshine and rain by a sort 
of thatch of straw or brush. The vines, like all surrounding 
vegetation, had a dry and dusty aspect. Not a green patch 
of grass was any where to be seen. The distant fields were 
brown, as if parched by the prevailing heat ; for since April 
or May no rain had fallen, with the exception, perhaps, of 
one or two transient showers. The vines were kept trimmed 
within a short distance of the ground, and the branches were 



ORIENTAL HABITS. 19 

The vintage had begun some weeks previous, but was not yet 
half over. 

At length, winding about the base of the hill of the Observ- 
atory, we found ourselves at the very portal of Athens. The 
various objects that struck the eye were already familiar to 
me through descriptions and delineations. The Greek mer- 
chant was astonished to see a stranger from the New World 
pointing out with readiness the ruins which he had never be- 
fore surveyed. The Parthenon, with its brown columns tow- 
ering above the town on the lofty Acropolis, was not to be 
mistaken. The Pnyx, witness to the eloquence of Demos- 
thenes, and the Hill of Mars, where St. Paul addressed the 
men of ancient Athens, were both on the right ; while the Tem- 
ple of Theseus, the oldest, yet the best preserved monument of 
Greece, stood but a few steps from the entrance to the modern 
town. 

I had been much interested in speculating upon the proba- 
ble aspect of the modern town, and the condition of its inhab- 
itants. From the desponding accounts of former travelers, I 
had formed rather low conceptions of Greek civilization and 
intelligence. The descriptions of the people, their appearance 
and manners, had left me in doubt whether they were not to 
be classed among semi-barbarous nations of the earth. Yet 
there lurked a secret hope that I might find that some prejudice 
had inclined those travelers to look with too little sympathy 
upon the struggles of a nation shaking off the chains of twenty 
centuries of servitude. Their foibles, I imagined, ought to be 
viewed rather with the eye of a Democritus than with that of 
an Heraclitus. Whether my anticipations were correct or not 
will be gathered from the sequel. I, at least, looked with de- 
light upon every symptom of refinement, and congratulated 
myself upon the prospect of comfort in my future sojourn. 

We had arrived on Sunday. The day being universally 
kept rather as a period of recreation than as one sacred to re- 
ligious purposes, the streets were thronged with people engaged 
either in promenading or in visiting their friends. Their strik- 
ing costumes, so different from any thing to be seen in western 
cities, gave peculiar animation to the scene. A characteristic, 
however, which could not but force itself on the observation. 



20 APPROACH TO ATHENS. 

was the fact that so few well-dressed women were to be seen 
in the crowd ; and on closer investigation I learned that they 
were never allowed to walk out alone or unaccompanied by 
husband or father. Such is still the strength of Eastern hab- 
its and notions of propriety, notwithstanding the increased 
communication with the rest of Europe. 

We drove through a number of winding streets to the Ho- 
tel d' Orient, an old and inelegant edifice fronting on a neglect- 
ed square in the immediate vicinity of the Eoyal Mint. The 
building had formerly served as the palace of the young King 
Otho, on occasion of his first coming to Greece ; and I was, I 
am credibly informed, so fortunate as to occupy his majesty's 
bedchamber, in which I spent my first night at Athens. The 
only other lodgers at the hotel were a couple of Irishmen, with 
whom my Sciote companion and I partook gayly of a good 
dinner at the table d'hote, ending off with a dessert of delicious 
grapes and figs, and a taste of the famous Hymettus honey. The 
younger Irishman was the correspondent of a London journal, 
but stood in daily expectation of a post under the Greek gov- 
ernment. He considered liimself secure of a professorship of 
English in the royal gymnasium of Patras, to which he con- 
ceived himself entitled by reason of services rendered during 
the late difiiculties between Great Britain and this country. 
His rather unpatriotic effusions in defence of the Greek min- 
istry attracted considerable notice at the time of their publica- 
tion in England. 




ACROPOLIS FROM THE PNTX. 

CHAPTER n. 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

The hours were too fashionable at the Hotel d' Orient. I 
was impatient to sally forth ; but breakfast could not be served 
before nine o'clock. Instead, therefore, of undertaking to ex- 
plore the labyrinth of alleys we had passed through the night 
before, I received from my good friend the Sciote a parting les- 
son in pronunciation, with which I graduated from his school. 
Fortified with a good meal and a store of Greek phrases, I set 
out to find the individuals for whom I brought letters of intro- 
duction. I had too little confidence in my own proficiency to 
trust myself alone, and mine host committed me to a guide, 
who should conduct me first to the house of Dr. King. Avoid- 
ing the principal thoroughfares, he led me by the nearest route, 
which happened to be through a maze of crooked lanes branch- 
ing off at every possible angle. Their average breadth could 
scarcely exceed twenty feet, and they were often lined with 
blank walls, or houses without a single window opening on 
the street. More frequently the heavy iron bars with which 
the latter were provided conveyed the impression that the in- 
mates lived in hourly apprehension of a burglar's attack. "We 
issued from one of these alleys into a wider street, paved with 



22 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

stone, and dignified by the name of Hadrian. The garden 
attached to Dr. King's house fronts upon this street ; but, to 
reach the gate, we had to go through a narrow lane which runs 
along its side. Here my conductor left me engaged in a men- 
tal discussion whether I should ever be able alone to retrace 
my steps to my hotel. 

On pushing open the heavy door, I found myself in a mod- 
erate-sized garden, the end of which is bounded by a long two- 
story stone house, with a broad flight of steps in front leading 
to the upper floor. Dr. King himself was walking in the gar- 
den. He courteously invited me to enter the house, and in- 
troduced me to his wife, who received me with equal cordial- 
ity. Mrs. King is a native Greek, born at Smyrna, and had 
never visited the United States ; but she speaks English with 
fluency and grace. Mrs. King wore, like most of the Greek 
ladies, the dress of her native city. The most characteristic 
portion of this costume is the head-dress, consisting of a small 
YQdifezi, or skull-cap, around which the braided hair is wound. 
Dr. King is a man of some sixty years, rather below the me- 
dium stature, and apparently of a weak constitution. His 
head is large and intellectual. His face is a fair index of his 
character, in which suavity of manner and warmth of heart 
are associated with an unusual measure of determination and 
energy. In its well-defined lineaments one may read the man 
" whom no contumely, no violence, no danger can move from 
the cause he has undertaken, and the opinions he has es- 
poused."* Principle has been weighed in him, and has not 
been found wanting. 

Dr. King had already been acquainted by letter with the 
objects of my coming to Greece. He entered into them with 
warmth, and expressed his desire to assist in their furtherance 
to the extent of his power. He concluded by kindly insisting 
on my spending at least the first months of my sojourn under 
his roof, where the Greek is almost exclusively spoken, until 
I should become more familiar with the manners and customs 
of the country. I felt no disposition to decline an invitation 
so cordially extended, and that very afternoon I found myself 
domiciled at his house. 

* Cicero pro Ligario, o. 9, 



SCENE AT THE AMERICAN CONSULATE. 23 

Besides his duties as missionary of the American Board, 
Dr. King was then also discharging the functions of consul 
of the United States. The latter office, though not one of his 
own seeking, and, indeed, forced upon him by circumstances 
beyond his control, had lately been of considerable service. 
One Sabbath morning, not many months before my arrival, 
his Greek service was attended by an uncommonly large num- 
ber of persons. Among the rest came some beardless youths, 
as it soon became evident, for the express purpose of creating 
a disturbance. At the close of the discourse, one of them 
arose, and taking up the theme of the day, commenced a vio- 
lent harangue. In answer, the missionary stated that he would 
willingly enter into a discussion with him on any day that 
might be appointed, with the exception of Sunday. But the 
people would not hear of such a thing as putting it off to an- 
other time, and filled the air with their outcries. "This is 
my private house," said Dr. King, "and I do not wish this 
uproar; but furthermore it is the Consulate of the United 
States, and I will not have it." "We know it is the Consul- 
ate of the United States, but we mean to have the discussion 
now," cried the mob, in reply. They went so far as to threat- 
en the servants for interfering, and turned some of the family 
quite out of the room. It so happened, by a singular coinci- 
dence, that Dr. King had only the day previous received from 
Washington a tin box containing an American flag, sent un- 
der seal of the Department of State. A happy thought struck 
him. With the assistance of his old man-servant, Barha Con- 
stantine, he hoisted the flag on one of the columns of the 
porch. The wind filled its ample folds, and displayed every 
star and stripe to the wondering gaze of the crowd below. 
Instantly the tumult of voices was stilled. They had dared 
to insult the consul of the United States, but they were afraid 
of his flag. No sooner did they catch a glimpse of it, than 
the chief aim of each seemed to be to reach the gate before 
the others. In half a minute not a man of them was to be 
seen upon the premises. 

This part of Athens is the old town, if that appellation can 
be given to the portion which is only a quarter of a century 
old. Looking from my window, I have the northeastern cor- 



24 , FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

ner of the Acropolis before me at the distance of a few hun- 
dred feet, crowned by the old Turkish and Frank walls which 
tower far above. On this side their base can scarcely be 
reached, by reason of the steep ledges of rock that occupy 
most of the acclivity. In one or two places, however, 'a slope 
of grass stretches up to the very foot of the wall, which, on 
account of this facility of approach, has been built stronger 
and higher. Wherever a patch of grass exists, flocks of goats 
and black sheep are to be seen clambering over the rocks and 
browsing on points apparently the most inaccessible. From 
the veranda on the opposite side of the house the eye glances 
over a collection of houses standing in a slight depression. 
Beyond the more remote of these, the little white chapel of St. 
George, on the summit of Mount Lycabettus, just appears. 
The trees that are scattered about stand in gardens ; for there 
are not a dozen in the streets of the old town. All of them 
look strange to an American. The cypress is, perhaps, the 
most striking. Its spire-like form, so regular and tapering, is 
associated in the traveler's mind with Eastern cemeteries ; but 
here it is also a favorite in the vicinity of houses. We have 
one near us which waves most gracefully, and creaks most lu- 
gubriously at the lightest breeze. In an adjoining inclosure 
there is a fine old laurel which has attained a size rare in 
Western Europe, and a mulberry-tree of only twenty years' 
growth overshadows nearly the whole garden. The greatest 
curiosity of this kind in Athens is the palm-tree that stands 
in the "Hodos Hermou," very near the western entrance, 
where it constitutes one of the first objects that greet the 
stranger's eye. It is a date-palm, introduced, doubtless, by 
the Turks, but in too high a latitude to yield fruit. 

My anxiety for letters led me first to the post-office, where, 
as the French mail had been distributed, I hoped to find a 
package of them from America. But I was disappointed, not 
having made due allowance for the increased time demanded 
for communication. A month is the average time a letter 
takes in coming from New York to Athens ; though I remem- 
ber once to have opened one precisely three weeks after date. 
The post-ofiice is a low wooden house with a rickety portico. 
All the business of the establishment is transacted by half a 



THE MARKET-PLACE. 25 

dozen clerks. Like the employes of some other post-office de- 
partments, they are not above the suspicion of occasionally 
violating the sacredness of epistolary correspondence. And 
whenever trouble of any kind is brewing, the Government fre- 
quently finds it very convenient to ignore that provision of the 
constitution which forbids all tampering with the mails. 

From the post-office I strolled through the market-place — 
the agora or hazari, as it is indifferently called. On the way 
thither I walked by the common prison, a one-story building 
without a window opening on the street. But through the 
grated door I saw a crowd of miserable looking creatures, 
wandering aimlessly about an open space. A motley crew 
they were. Men and women and children, the condemned 
and the accused as yet untried, the petty thief and the mur- 
derer, the hardened villain and the neophyte in vice, all hud- 
dled together to the number of one hundred and fifty in a 
court fifty feet square. The building was erected years ago, 
and used to serve as a Medrese or school ; it still bears that 
Turkish appellation. But I doubt if the instruction once 
given in letters was half so complete as the lessons of crime 
and wickedness imbibed by those who are confined for a fort- 
night within its walls. 

The market-place was nearly empty of purchasers, albeit the 
traders still sat cross-legged in their booths, which nestle about 
the old gray walls of Hadrian's porticoes. Though now near 
the end of September, the sun continues to pour down his rays 
with scorching power, and the air is insufferably hot, even in 
the shade. Every body keeps to the house during five or six 
hours of the day ; and at noon the streets are almost as de- 
serted as at night. Strangers are warned by residents not to 
deviate from this practice, unless they are willing to pay for 
the imprudence by a dangerous and often fatal disease. An 
hour or two of exposure in the sun is pretty sure to bring on 
an attack of the Greek fever, which is the curse of Athens at 
the present day. Although late in the season, fruits of every 
sort are yet in their prime. Those that belong to southern 
climates peculiarly are to be found here in the greatest profu- 
sion, and at what would seem to us a ridiculously small price. 
On the other hand, apples are a rarity, and those for sale are 

B 



26 FIRST EMPKESSIONS. 

small and inferior ; nor will the peaches compare with those 
of our American orchards. But the apricots, pomegranates, 
and melons of all kinds are excellent. The francosyca are a 
puzzle to the stranger till he recognizes them as the fruit of 
the common prickly-pear, whose curiously-jointed stems grow 
here to an astonishing size. The Greeks I meet will not credit 
my assertion that this plant is a native of the American con- 
tinent originally, for they say that it grows wild in the re- 
motest parts of Mani. The Greek grapes are decidedly the 
best I have ever tasted. The choicest Fontainehleau or Muscat 
can not approach the luscious flavor of the Smyrniote. Some 
of these varieties resemble the Malaga grapes of our shops. 
Another species, from Tenos I believe, is peculiar, the fruit 
not showing a vestige of a seed within. It is very sweet, and 
smaller than the rest. There is a large black grape, one of 
which frorn curiosity I measured, and found it over four inch- 
es in circumference. The produce of the vineyards around 
Athens, though not of such choice kinds, is excellent and 
plentiful. An oke (nearly three pounds) of the black grape, is 
sold for a copper coin answering to one cent and two-thirds 
of the American currency, and the price of the white is but 
just double. As the vintage has been in progress for some 
time, the must, or unfermented juice of the grape, can be pro- 
cured. It enters into the composition of a number of national 
dishes. Mixed with flour it forms the mustalevria, a refresh- 
ing food of about the consistency of the " apple-butter" of our 
Western States, which it resembles in color also. In its per- 
fection the mustalevria has a sprinkling of almonds, and is or- 
namented with the red pomegranate seeds. It is also dried in 
sticks that are as hard as stone. 

On the other side of the narrow alley that runs along one 
side of the Consulate, lives Sir Eichard Church, whose acquaint- 
ance I had the pleasure of making on the third day after my 
arrival. Upon introduction he adverted at once to the friend- 
ship he had formed flve years before with my father, and asked 
what news I brought with me from America, a country in 
which he takes a lively interest. Conversation naturally 
turned on the thrilling scenes in which General Church him- 
self had been an actor, and the combats of the patriots whom 



GENERAL CHUKCH. 27 

he had come from England to head. He expressed his regret 
at the fact that Greece has to so great an extent failed to an- 
swer the expectations, perhaps too sanguine, of her well-wish- 
ers. This failure he attributed, not to the people themselves, 
but to the weak and injudicious government under which they 
live. A government that squanders on frivolous objects the 
revenue which should be expended on the improvement of the 
roads and the education of the masses, can not merit the es- 
teem and affection of thoge who are true friends of the nation- 
al welfare. The expenditures, he informed me, exceed the 
revenue by several million drachms annually ; and this deficit 
is every year helping to swell the public debt. 

General Church is at present one of the most prominent mem- 
bers of the opposition. He is regarded by King Otho, it is to be 
presumed, with the personal dislike which that monarch contin- 
ues to cherish toward all, without exception, who took an act- 
ive part in the formation of the Constitution of 1843. Cal- 
lerges, who was its prime-mover, and who sat upon one of the 
cannon that were pointed at the palace, ready to be fired in 
case the king should refuse to ratify that document, was at 
first treated with marks of the highest favor. But when the 
storm was past, the first opportunity was seized to send him 
away from the royal presence, in a sort of banishment, to Ar- 
gos. General Church, who occupied a high post in the army, 
resigned in consequence of some slight shown him by the min- 
istry, and the latter were only too glad to rid themselves of a 
man too upright and inflexible for the doing of their behests. 
He retains a seat for life in the Greek senate, where, rather 
by his private influence and his vote than by public speeches, 
he seeks to promote pure and patriotic legislation. Unfortu- 
nately the country needs something more than good laws — it 
needs their faithful execution. 

General Church expressed the lively interest he had taken in 
reading the newspaper accounts of the brilHant engagements of 
our Mexican campaigns. He spoke with the warmest admira- 
tion of the conduct of the war by Generals Scott and Taylor, 
and made particular inquiries whether any reliable history of 
the whole conflict had recently appeared in the United States. 
Few men living, probably, have had a better opportunity to 



28 FIRST IMPRESSIONS. 

become thoroughly acquainted with the history of the Greek 
revolution. I was pleased to learn from his own lips that he 
had collected all the materials for such a record of it as the 
world demands, and that he himself either had commenced, or 
intended soon to commence reducing them to the shape of a 
systematic narrative. Sir Richard's previous career in Italy 
and elsewhere, during which he earned in the British service 
his present rank of Lieutenant General, was varied and thrill- 
ing. I had subsequently the pleasure of perusing a manuscript 
account of some of his adventures in ridding the kingdom of 
Naples of the banditti who infested it. They were so full of 
romantic interest, that I regretted the limitation of a perusal 
of them to a very small circle of friends. Were it proper, I 
would gladly transcribe one or two of them upon these pages. 

Among the most distinguished English residents in Athens 
there was none I more desired to see than Mr. George Finlay, 
the historian. He had been upon a visit to his native land, 
from which he returned not long after I reached Greece. One 
day Dr. King proposed a call upon him. His name was al- 
ready familiar to me from the various works he has recently 
published on the modern history of Greece, as well as from 
his connection with the recent difficulties between the Greek 
and English governments. The most eligible spot in the city 
was chosen for the site of the king's palace, and some lands 
of Mr. Finlay were among those that were absorbed by the 
garden attached to it. But the ministry refused to make to 
the owners any adequate indemnification for the loss of the 
ground they had appropriated. Mr. Finlay having little faith 
in the power or inclination of the law-courts to grant him re- 
dress, appealed to his own government, who enforced his claims 
by a powerful fleet which for one hundred days blockaded the 
ports of Greece. 

We entered Mr. Finlay's house, situated in the old quarter 
of the city, through a garden well stocked with flowers, and 
were received in his study. The walls, besides being stored 
with perhaps the choicest private library in the capital, were 
further ornamented with a valuable collection of antiquities 
found in this country, and a candelabrum and a curious bra- 
zen mirror graced the mantle. Mr. Finlay is a tall and some- 



AMERICAN MISSIONARIES. 29 

^v\mi slender mtm, about fifty years of age. His face is one 
of those which inspire confidence and respect, and his eye is 
bright and intellectual. I have seldom met one whose con- 
versation is more entertaining. No subject can be started 
with which he does not seem perfectly familiar, and, where 
you least expect it, he is able to rectify your misapprehen- 
sions, or unravel what before seemed an enigma. History, 
however, is his favorite topic. With the Mediseval history of 
Greece no man living is better acquainted ; and few, besides 
the Frenchman Buchon, have made it so careful a study. Mr. 
Finlay told me that he was still engaged upon his work, which 
is to contain in four independent volumes the vicissitudes of 
Greece, from the fall of Corinth to the conquest by the Turks. 
This is a portion of history which should have been treated 
by Gibbon, but to which that writer never deigned to devote 
more than a stray paragraph. Those who have read Mr. Fin- 
lay's able productions must, I think, acquiesce in the greater 
number of his conclusions. On the great controverted point 
of the origin of the modern Greeks, he adopts a middle course 
between those who declare them of Sclavonic ancestry, and 
those who affirm them to be scions of the noble stock of the 
Hellenes. As a natural consequence, he displeases the advo- 
cates of both theories. I only regret that, in delineating the 
mutations of the Greeks under the Frank domination, he has 
chosen to look at them from the foreign rather than the na- 
tive point of view, and given us the chronicles of the conquer- 
ors instead of those of the vanquished. 

To my countrymen, the Rev. Dr. Hill of the Protestant 
Episcopal Mission, and the Rev. Messrs. Arnold and Buel of 
the Baptist Mission, I shall have opportunity to refer in an- 
other connection. The kindly offices of these gentlemen con- 
tributed essentially to the attainment of the ends for which I 
visited Greece. Of the more private evidences of friendship 
received by me, in common with so many wayfarers, at their 
hospitable homes, I can^ of course, make no adequate mention 
in these pages. 




THE PEOPYIi^A. 



CHAPTER III. 



THE ACKOPOLIS. 

Much as I desired to see the Acropolis and its classic con- 
tents, I was obliged to defer my first visit until late in the aft- 
ernoon. The hill was already casting its long shadows over 
the eastern quarter of the town when, with a party of friends, 
I sallied forth. The heat was yet oppressive, and many of 
those whom we met were, like ourselves, provided with white 
cotton umbrellas, and wore white shoes, so pleasant for the 
feet in this sultry season. Two or three steep lanes, inter- 
rupted by an occasional stairway, led us to the clear ground 
at the foot .of the Acropolis ; but without a guide we would 
indubitably have lost our way, and come to a stand in some 
filthy court. It is a consolation to know that, if modern Ath- 
ens can boast of an intricate maze of streets, ancient Athens 
would seem to have been but little better off in this respect. 
The father of Greek verse must have used some poetic license 
when he spoke of the wide streets of Athens. For a writer, 



WALLS OF ALL AGES. 31 

who flourished some three centuries before the Christian era, 
and had traveled in foreign parts, expresses his regret at their 
narrowness and irregularity. He contrasts the capital with 
its port, Pirceus, and states that the former was badly laid out 
as to its streets and squares, on account of its antiquity. "If 
a stranger," adds he, "were to be suddenly set down in the 
midst of the town, so small, inconvenient, and ill-situated are 
the houses, that he would doubt whether he were actually in 
famous Athens. But of this he would be speedily convinced, 
if, looking up in some more open spot, he should catch a 
glimpse of the Odeum, the most handsome in the world ; the 
theatre, magnificent, great, and wonderful ; the sumptuous, 
conspicuous, and admirable temple of Minerva, called the Par- 
thenon, rising aloft, and striking the beholder with admira- 
tion."* 

We, however, had reached a point whence we could survey 
the whole city, while we obtained a good view of the Acrop- 
olis itself It is an oblong height, perhaps three quarters of a 
mile in circuit at the base, with a barrier of steep rocks rising 
on every side to prevent the approach of invaders. Above 
these tower the grim old walls, to whose foot, even, it is in 
most places all but impossible to ascend. On this side they 
are said to have been raised by the Pelasgians, when the Athe- 
nian state was yet in its infancy; but these original works 
have probably been destroyed to the very foundation. Much 
of those which now exist, were built by the Athenians when 
they regained their city after the retreat of Xerxes. In such 
haste were the citizens to restore the crumbling fortress, that 
they are said to have seized whatever first came to hand, and 
converted it to use. It is interesting to notice, to this very 
day, stones evidently drawn from some more ancient, and per- 
haps ruined edifice, deeply imbedded in the midst of other ma- 
sonry. At one place there is a conspicuous row of drums of 
marble columns, which probably belonged to the old Parthenon, 
a temple burned by the Persians when they ravaged Attica 
with fire and sword. The rest of the wall is a singular med- 
ley of works of every age. Here a bit of Roman brick-work, 
there a Prankish bastion or Turkish parapet, all mixed in in- 
* Diccearchus Vit. Grcec, p. 8. 



32 THE ACKOPOLIS. 

extricable confusion. Every conqueror has left some traces 
of his power, while Time, the greatest conqueror of all, has 
been undoing their boasted work. 

But we must now approach the entrance, and to reach it we 
were obliged to make half the circuit of the hill. On the way 
we passed a small portal, in what was once a Turkish defence. 
One jamb was formed of an old marble slab that had once 
graced some sacred inclosure, as the following imprecation 
against all sacrilegious trespassers indicates. The similarity 
it bears to those curses which the monks of the Middle Ages 
used to insert on the fly-leaves of their books, is striking, to 
say the least. 

" I intrust the guardianship of this Chapel to the Infernal 
Gods, to Pluto, and to Ceres, and to Proserpine, and to the 
Furies, and to all the Infernal Gods. If any one shall deface 
this Chapel, or mutilate it, or remove any thing from it, either 
himself or by means of another, to him may not the land be 
passable, nor the sea navigable, but may he be utterly uproot- 
ed. May he experience all evils, fever and ague, and quartan 
ague, and leprosy. And as many ills as man is liable to, may 
they befall that man who dares to move any thing from this 
Chapel." 

We reached the entrance of the Acropolis at the western 
end, where it connects with the lower height of the Areopa- 
gus, or Hill of Mars, the scene of St. Paul's masterly defence. 
Here the slope was originally more gradual, and offered the 
easiest, or, in fact, the only approach. Formerly there stood 
here a splendid gateway, strongly defended by walls and over- 
looking towers on either side, and a broad flight of steps led 
directly up behind it. More recently this was found too dif- 
ficult to protect, and now the visitor passes through no fewer 
than three portals before he can say that he is fairly within. 
Over the outermost of these a Turkish inscription is to be seen. 
I understand that its import is the boast that the Christian 
giaour shall never again hold possession of this citadel. If so, 
it stands there a sufficient refutation of its own falsehood. I 
was unable to vouch for the correctness of the interpretation ; 
and having no Turkish dragoman at hand, we went on to the 
second gate, which was closed. A loud rap brouglit to tlie 



I'ANATliENAIC PKOCESSlUN. 33 

door a soldier dressed in rather rusty European uniform, who, 
on our presenting a printed permit good for the whole season, 
opened the gate, and admitted us into a small court. Here 
was a lodge, before which half a dozen guards were lounging 
and smoking their chehouks. A classic air was given to their 
abode by a promiscuous collection of fragments of statuary ; 
while a number of marble cannon-balls, made during the re- 
cent wars out of the pillars of the Parthenon or Propylsea, lay 
scattered about. Some were evidently intended for guns of 
large calibre. 

One of the guards now opened a third gate, and passing 
through we found ourselves at the base of an acclivity, above 
which rose the Propylsea. A series of marble steps, some of 
which were discovered beneath the rubbish of a Turkish bat- 
tery that formerly encumbered the spot, and others in their 
original places, have been partially restored under the direc- 
tion of the Archaeological Society. The centre is paved with 
large slabs of stone, and served in old times as a carriage-way. 
The pavement was grooved to give a foothold to the yoke of 
oxen that annually drew the car of Minerva up to the temple 
of the goddess. In these Panathenaic festivals a vast con- 
course of people were accustomed to attend the solemn con- 
voy, the men carrying offerings, or baskets containing the sa- 
cred utensils, the women shouldering jars of pure water, while 
comely virgins brought the most pleasant flowers to bedeck 
the virgin goddess, and form a fragrant bed around her statue. 
Most conspicuous in the throng was said to be the new peplus 
with which the figure of Minerva was to be clothed or screen- 
ed. It was a magnificent robe woven by the maidens of the 
noblest families, who disputed the right of having a part in 
the honorable task. The conflicts of Minerva with the giants 
were the subject of the embroidery, which was fastened, as a 
sort of sail, to the mast of a boat laid upon the sacred car. 

We stood upon the threshold of the wonderful inclosure, 
with somewhat of the same awe and reverence that inspired 
the ancient pilgrim as he entered the precincts of the gorgeous 
temple. If he was filled with superstitious dread of the au- 
gust deities whom he imagined the tenants of the spacious 
fabric, we were overwhelmed with wonder and admiration of 

B2 



34 THE ACKOPOLIS, 

the genius that planned the graceful architecture, and the lib- 
eral statesman who shrank from no expense to decorate his 
native city and render it the gem of Greece. The Propylcea, 
which we had now reached, was a fit introduction to the host 
of temples, statues, and altars within. Less famous now than 
in former times, it was placed by the ancients on a level with 
the Parthenon, so far as beauty of design and exquisite finish 
were concerned. While yet entire, it stood directly in view 
of the people assembled for deliberation on the Pnyx; and 
Demosthenes and JEschines often took occasion, from the sight 
of its magnificence, to exhort a declining age to emulate the 
glory and renown of their forefathers. It is said that Epami- 
nondas was heard to exclaim, that he would never rest satis- 
fied until he had transported the Propylsea, and set it down 
at the entrance of the Cadmean hill in Thebes. 

The object of the edifice seems to have been two-fold. It 
was designed to be ornamental, and at the same time a strong 
military fortification, commanding the sole access to the cita- 
del. The combination was difiicult, but seems to have been 
admirably attained. Let me attempt to give an idea of the 
arrangement. The main structure consists of a massive mar- 
ble wall pierced by five portals, of which the central one is 
much the largest. With its bronze gates, it might easily with- 
stand the assaults of the enemy who should succeed in bursting 
through the lower walls, while exposed to the galling arrows 
of the troops from the heights on either side of the ascent, 
which afforded them every advantage of situation. This is 
the defensive part. The ornamental consists of wide por- 
ticoes on either front. That which faces the steps is the 
deeper. It is, I think, a circumstance worthy of note, that 
wherever it was desirable, as in the present case, to impress 
the beholder with a sense of awe and reverence, the Doric 
style of architecture was uniformly resorted to by the ancients. 
Its massive proportions, the simplicity of its outlines, and the 
stern baldness of its capitals, seem to be the natural expression 
of majesty and inflexible severity. It symbolizes reverence 
without affection. Accordingly the stately front of the Pro- 
pylaea was composed of six stout Doric columns, each four feet 
and a half in diameter, and twenty-nine feet high. They have 



ANCIENT GALLERIES OE rAINTINO. 35 

been sadly ill-used by father Time, who has spared little more 
than half their height. Behind this line, and before reaching 
tke wall, is a space of forty feet and more, the roof of which 
was once supported by six Ionic columns. The reason for 
the adoption of another order here, was that the slender pro- 
portions of its pillars obstructed the view much less, and ena- 
bled the eye to gaze more freely on a ceiling adorned with 
sunken panels, all variegated with the most brilliant coloring. 

The front vestibule of the Propylasa has been converted, for 
lack of some more convenient receptacle, into a sort of muse- 
um of antiquities. All the broken heads, fractured legs, mu- 
tilated arms, and fragmentary hands, dug up in every quarter 
of the Acropolis, are ranged on benches upon the strictest an- 
atomical principles. This classification has at least the merit 
of enabling the visitor to gain a pretty complete acquaintance 
with the whole collection. My own attention was specially 
drawn to one or two large heads, in which the eye had been 
excavated, evidently for the purpose of filling the cavity with 
an eyeball of ivory, or some precious metal. We turned from 
the main building to our left, and entered a wing of the Pro- 
pylaea, a square chamber with a narrow colonnade before it. 
This served in ancient times as a picture-gallery, ov pinacotheTce. 
True, it is difficult to suppose that many paintings could have 
been contained within the limits of a room about thirty feet 
square ; but the merit of the pictures probably made up for 
their fewness. And if the space here allowed was but small, 
there were certainly much larger collections in the lower city, 
where they adorned the inner walls of the long porticoes with 
which the city abomided. It was doubtless the ambition of 
the young painter to hang his first production in some such 
public place, where the philosophers, as they walked to and 
fro, and the tradesmen, hurrying toward their shops, might 
pause a moment to admire its execution, and inquire the art- 
ist's name. The Battle of Marathon seems to have been a fa- 
vorite subject at Athens, just as the brilliant victories of Na- 
poleon abound in the galleries of Versailles, where you look 
in vain for any representation of Waterloo. 

We crossed next to the right side of the entrance, where a 
smfiUer wing of the same building is for the most part con- 



36 THE ACKOPOLlSi. 

cealed under the great square tower that occupies so promi- 
nent a place in every picture of the Acropolis. It is usually 
called a Turkish tower ; but it was much more probably built 
by the Christian dukes of Athens in the thirteenth century. 
The Vandalism that has busied itself for the past thirty years 
in destroying every relic of the mediasval history of the coun- 
try, has thus far spared this venerable monument. How long 
it will be permitted to stand is very doubtful. From a mis- 
taken pride, the modern Greeks have thought it incumbent 
on them to signalize their admiration of antiquity, by obliter- 
ating every vestige of an age of barbarism and subjection. 
How different was the policy of those for whom they affect to 
entertain such enthusiastic admiration ! Every work of their 
uncultivated forefathers was cherished with the most sedulous 
care ; for it served as an index of their own progress in the 
arts of life. Even the traces of the Persian invasion were 
gladly preserved, that they might teach posterity the authen- 
ticity of achievements, which otherwise would have appeared 
too gigantic to be worthy of credit. The more powerful they 
could picture the Persian host, the more did they enhance their 
own prowess, since victory had crowned them in the unequal 
contest. 

As I have said, the Propylsea was, until recently, encum- 
bered with the remains of a dilapidated Turkish battery. In 
removing these ruins, a number of columns and bas-reliefs 
were discovered, belonging to a small temple of the Ionic or- 
der. It was then remembered that such an edifice had been 
described by travelers of the seventeenth century, as standing 
in advance of the Propylaea, on the southwestern corner of the 
wall. The exact spot was easily found by means of the re- 
maining foundation. In 1835 its restoration was commenced; 
and so many pieces were found that scarcely a stone had to 
be supplied. The roof only is wanting, with the greater 
part of the continuous frieze that ran around the top of the 
building, sculptured with figures of the Persians. This was 
unfortunately discovered earlier, and shared the fate of Lord 
Elgin's spoliations. Though but twenty-seven feet long by 
eighteen broad, the temple of Victory had a double front, 
adorned with four lopic fluted columns executed in the most 



rKMPLK OF VICTOKY. 



O i 




TEMPLE OP VICTOKY WITHOUT WINGS. 



finished style. It was Cimon who built it, in commemora- 
tion of glorious defeats inflicted upon the Persians, both by 
land and by sea. But the jealous eye of the republican Athe- 
nians would not suffer him to indulge in private ostentation ; 
and prevented him from recording his own astonishing suc- 
cesses on the dwelling-house of a deity. He chose for its dec- 
oration the achievements of older generals, whose merits the 
populace could better endure to hear praised, since they had 
gone into a banishment whence no popular vote could recall 
them. Cimon dedicated this exquisite little temple to Victo- 
ry ; but fearing lest the fickle goddess should some day take it 
into her head to desert his native city, he robbed her of her 
wings. Perhaps he hoped in this way to fix her irrevocably 
to her present seat ; but succeeding generations discovered to 
their cost, that if Victory had lost the power of soaring away 
on her airy pinions, she could, in a more prosaic manner, aban- 
don her beautiful niche, and give them leg-bail. 

We paused for a few minutes within the temple of Victory 
luithout wings, to admire the few sculptured slabs that have 
been collected there. Thev refer mo.«tlv to Victorv, and orifr;- 



o8 THE ACROPOLIS. 

inally formed a parapet around the platform of the temple. 
One was so exquisite that I could have stopped an hour be- 
fore it without weariness. It represents the goddess just 
alighting on her favorite hill. She stoops to unbuckle her 
sandal, indicating the determination here to cease her wander- 
ings and take up a perpetual abode. Nothing can be more 
elegant than the posture and the finish of the well-turned an- 
kle. From the steps of the temple we obtained a delightful 
view of the sea, on the very spot whence ^geus is said to 
have precipitated himself upon the rocks below, when he saw 
the black sails which Theseus, on his successful return from 
Crete, had forgotten to lower. 

But we were impatient to visit the Parthenon, the grand 
object of attraction. So passing once more through the por- 
tal of the Propylsea, we stood in the presence of that majestic 
pile, which for beauty of proportion, excellence of material, 
and grace of ornament, is yet proclaimed by all who can ap- 
preciate the arts of architecture and sculpture, as unequaled 
by any fabric of more modern date. The first impression upon 
the mind is that of perfect symmetry and grandeur. Less au- 
gust than when the dazzling brilliancy of its Pentehcan marble 
was undimmed, it is perhaps more picturesque now. Its ruined 
pillars and tottering architraves are now laden with the tra- 
ditionary interest of more than two thousand years. It is not 
the size alone that strikes the fancy ; for the Olympium itself, 
though much larger, has never attained a tithe of its celebrity. 




^ - ' ^y^; 



Tins PATITIIKNON. 



THE PARTHENON o9 

The summit of the Acropolis is not perfectly level, but is 
shaped into a number of distinct platforms, hewn out of the 
solid rock when Athens was confined to the limits of this hill. 
In after times temples took the place of dwelling-houses, and 
the inhabitants were compelled to descend into the valley. 
The entire area thus cleared is one thousand feet long and 
five hundred feet in its greatest width, containing about sev- 
en acres of ground. The greatest length is precisely east and 
west. 

A modern architect, perhaps, would have placed the Par- 
thenon directly in front of the entrance, so that only the west- 
ern fagade might be seen, thus preserving symmetry, or, rather, 
uniformity. Without doubt, however, the site was purposely 
chosen a little to the right upon the highest part of the cita- 
del. This gives us the most favorable view of the temple, 
whose base is full forty feet above the ground on which we 
stand. The devotional feelings of an ancient pilgrim were 
deepened, too, as, in the long circuit he was obliged to make 
in order to reach the principal entrance at the opposite end, 
his eye could examine in detail the sculptured works upon its 
sides, products of the chisel of Phidias and his scholars. 

As we walked up toward the Parthenon we met a small 
man, rather beyond the prime of life, who was introduced as 
]Mr. Pittakes, the Inspector General of the antiquities within 
the kingdom of Greece. He is affable in conversation, and 
wholly absorbed in his favorite pursuit. His duty it is to see 
that the statuary and other works of art, discovered from year 
to year, are not carried from the country or broken up for 
lime by the ignorant peasantry. Of all the Greeks he is 
doubtless the best informed as to the topography of Athens, 
respecting which he has written a v/ork of considerable merit. 
Notwithstanding his dry manner and a certain nasal indis- 
tinctness of utterance, there was no one whom we were more 
delighted to meet. 

I do not know that a better idea of the Parthenon can \)e 
given, than by saying that its exterior is the prototype of the 
Madeleine at Paris, and the Bavarian WalhaUa. Around the 
whole body of the edifice runs a continuous portico, sustainer 
by seventeen Doric columns on either side, and eight in eaci 



40 THE ACKOPOLIS. 

front. The vestibule at either end of the temple was deepen- 
ed by the addition of a second row of columns to support the 
roof. Such was the condition of the Parthenon a century and 
a half ago. Since that time it has incurred the severest losses. 
At one time a powder magazine was recklessly placed within 
the building by the Turks. During the bombardment by the 
Venetians under Francesco Morosini, in 1687, a bomb hap- 
pened to fall into the very centre of the temple, and a fearful 
explosion was the result. A great part of the lateral walls 
was overturned, and more than half a dozen columns on either 
side fell prostrate to the ground. From that time the build- 
ing, which at one period had served as a church dedicated to 
the Virgin, was .almost deserted. During an attack of three 
days, the Venetians did more damage to the Parthenon than it 
had sustained since the year of its erection. They consum- 
mated their outrage by a robbery of the movable statuary 
which adorned the triangular pediments on the fronts. It is 
related of them, that, as their general was lowering the car 
and horses which were most prominent in the group, the ropes 
either broke or slipped, and the statues were shivered into a 
thousand fragments upon the pavement below. 

The interior of the Parthenon was divided into two unequal 
parts. Rather more than two-thirds were taken up with the 
temple proper, while the remainder, toward the west, served 
as the treasury of the state, and went by the name of Opistho- 
domus. The great statue of Minerva, from whom the temple 
obtained its name of Parthenon, or the Virgin^ s House, occupied 
the centre, and drew the undivided attention of every visitor. 
It was the master-piece of Phidias, and was no less precious 
for its material than for its workmanship. The statue was 
all of the purest gold, except the face, hands, and feet, which 
were curiously wrought of ivory brought from the remote and 
almost unknown depths of India. It was not to be expected 
that a work of such intrinsic value should escape the rapacity 
of either Romans or barbarians. 

We know comparatively little of the internal arrangements 
of the Parthenon ; but we -may be confident that they were 
embellished as lavishly as the exterior. Indeed the prodigal 
expenditure of ornament seems to have been one of the most 



FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON. 



41 




FBIEZE OF THE PAKTHENON. 



Striking peculiarities of this temple. Although its length was 
only two hundred and twenty-eight feet, yet it was loaded 
with a profusion of sculpture such as would have been more 
than sufficient, according to the rules ordinarily followed, for 
an edifice of thrice that size. Not only were all the metopes 
immediately below the exterior cornice made to represent the 
single combats of centaurs and other fabulous monsters, but 
an uninterrupted frieze was placed on the walls of the body, 
or cella, within the colonnade. This inimitable work of art, 
when entire, was no less than five hundred and twenty feet 
long, with a width of more than a yard. It represented in 
high relief the yearly procession at the Panathenaic festival. 
In addition to these decorations, a group of statues filled each 
of the pediments, one representing the birth of Minerva, the 
other her contest with Neptune for the possession of Attica. 
What is more astonishing than even the quantity of statuary, 
is its quality. Slabs of marble intended to be seen at the 
height of thirty to fifty feet above the spectator, were finished 
with as much care as though designed for a close inspection. 
Of this I satisfied myself, not only from the pieces collected 
below, but by a nearer examination of those which remain in 
their places. In one of the walls of the Parthenon we found 
a narrow winding staircase, from which we emerged on the 
top of the front. Probably the same means of gaining a bet- 
ter view of the statues on the pediment was privately afforded 
of old to the artist and the more curious visitor. 



42 THE ACROPOLIS. 

Mr. Pittakes took us up to the eastern end of the edifice, 
and pointed out some excavations, undertaken within a few 
years, with the view of examining the substructure. The 
workmen have brought, to light what a spirited writer has 
called the workshop of the Parthenon. Huge heaps of chip- 
pings from the marbles, unfinished drums of columns, appar- 
ently abandoned on account of some defect in the stone, are 
mingled with traces of works made by all the nations who 
have ruled here in succession. Not least remarkable was the 
discovery of a quantity of burnt wood still lower down, at a 
depth of fifteen or twenty feet below the present surface of 
the ground. . These timbers, from their position, must evi- 
dently have been older than the erection of the present Par- 
thenon by Pericles, in the middle of the fifth century before 
Christ. According to the most probable hypothesis, they are 
traces of the conflagration kindled by Xerxes when the old 
Hecatompedon, the predecessor of the Parthenon, shared the 
common destruction of all that was most precious in Athens. 
Blocks of marble belonging to the same structure were also 
found, with a great variety of antique bronzes and vases. 

Architects have been much interested of late in the results 
of some new and very accurate measurements of the Parthe- 
non, which have revealed a number of startling facts. For 
instance, it has been found that of the apparently straight 
lines, few, if any, are strictly such, but, in reality, describe 
curves of a figure that may be calculated with the utmost pre- 
cision. Thus, the platform and steps in front of the temple, 
though to all appearance perfectly level, have been shown to 
be three or four inches higher toward the middle than at 
either end. And as each side is similarly shaped, the base of 
the Parthenon slants in all directions toward the four corners. 
The same holds good, in some measure, with all the other 
lines, some of which actually curve in two directions. The 
columns, too, are found not to stand perfectly upright, but to 
slant inwardly, and so are some inches longer on the outer 
edge than on the inner. Nor do they taper uniformly toward 
the summit, but bulge out a little at the middle. Archaeolo- 
gists affirm that they have now discovered the secret of the 
undoubted superiority of all the ancient temples over even 



THE ERECHTHEUM. 



43 



their most servile imitations in modern times. If such care 
was taken in the construction of the Parthenon and the Pro- 
pylaea, we can no longer wonder that the enormous sum of a 
thousand talents, equivalent to $1,100,000, should have been 
expended upon the former of those buildings alone, at a time 
when that sum would command three times as much labor as 
at present. 

We followed Mr. Pittakes from the Parthenon to a small 
ruinous frame-house, where, under lock and key, are pre- 
served a number of antique vases and other remains. But in 
this department no Grecian collection can compare with the 
vast assortment of the British and Neapolitan museums. De- 
scending the rotten stairs, I picked up a human skull, which 
I noticed bleaching in the sun close by : whether it belonged 
to some gallant defender of the Acropolis, or to a Turkish sol- 
dier, it was too late to inquire. The guard who accompanied 
us, and whose only duty was to see that we took away none 
of the antiquities, did not evince much surprise or feeling for 
the relic of one who may have been a former comrade in arms. 
Instead of giving it Christian burial, he threw it into a dark cor- 
ner, and it rattled down into a hole, where it doubtless still lies. 
So much for the remains of the combatants in the revolution. 

We next passed to the only other remaining group of ruins 
on the Acropolis, the curious cluster of temples that stand 
near the northern wall overlooking the modern town. I call 
it a cluster of temples, for the Erechtheum comprises several 
sanctuaries dedicated to various gods and fabulous personages. 




THE EEECHTHEUM. 



44 



THE ACROPOLIS. 



Its singularly irregular shape adds propriety to the expression, 
while it renders description the more difficult. It consists of 
an oblong edifice, which formed the most important part, and 
three dissimilar porches covering almost as much more ground. 
We approached it from the east, which, as in the case of all 
the more ancient temples, was the principal front. Passing 
through a portico of six Ionic columns, we jumped down some 
eight or ten feet, and found ourselves in the sanctuary of Mi- 
nerva Polias, the defender of the city, a shrine at one time held 
in even greater esteem than its more pretending neighbor, the 
Parthenon. Clambering over stones and bushes, we came to 
a partition wall. Beyond it was the part dedicated to Pan- 
drosos, one of the daughters of Cecrops, who was worshipped 
here with almost divine honors. Thence we reached a nar- 
rower space along the western end of the structure, which 
seems to have served as a mere passage between the northern 
and southern porticoes, the greatest orna- 
ments of the Erechtheum. The former is a 
large and spacious porch of the Ionic order, 
which here is to be seen in its most perfect 
expression. Less grand, perhaps, than the 
stately Doric when gazed upon from a dis- 
tance, the richness and chasteness of detail 
is calculated to make this order a more gen- 
eral favorite. The adjacent soil here is sev- 
eral feet lower than in front, and the col- 
umns are consequently much larger than 
those of the chief entrance. 

But the southern portico, that of the Car- 
j/atides, to which we next repaired, was an 
object of far greater curiosity and interest. 
Its dimensions are much smaller than those 
of the others; but here the place of pon- 
derous columns has been assumed by six 
colossal damsels, whose marble heads sup- 
port the ponderous roof. Some say that 
the statues represent the captive women of 
Carya, a town of Peloponnesus, destroyed 
by the Athenians for siding with the Per- 




A OAUTATIS. 



THE CARYATIDES. 45 

si an invaders against their country. But 1 prefer the other 
story, which makes them portraits of the fairest and most dis- 
tinguished of Athens' daughters, chosen on account of their 
beauty to sit for this honorable distinction. Theirs are no 
meretricious charms, but a dignified and devout expression, 
mingled with indescribable grace : 

"A group 
Of shrinking Caryatides, they muse 
Upon the ground, eyelids half-closed, . . . 
To linger out their penance in mute stone. " 

KoBERT Browning. 

Fitting guardians of the sacred olive-tree, which probably 
stood in this portico ; the same tree that Minerva was fabled 
to have caused to grow, when she contended with Neptune 
for supremacy in Attica. The salt-spring, created by one 
stroke of the sea-god's potent trident, was also within the 
temple. Antiquarians will probably have a puzzling search 
before they find it. 

I have spoken of six Caryatides : in reality there are but 
five ; the sixth is replaced by a wooden effigy. Its prototype 
is far away in a museum, where, by foul means and fair, the 
plunder of the choicest monuments of antiquity has been col- 
lected. Lord Elgin, the spoiler of the Parthenon, in robbing 
that building, confined himself to taking away all the mova- 
ble bas-reliefs. Here, with a more ruthless hand, he removed 
one of the statues that supported this graceful portico — as a 
sample of the thing, I presume. The consequence was, that 
the roof fell, but was recently restored, and a fictitious Ca- 
ryatid has taken her place in the midst of the lovely sister- 
hood. 

With the Erechtheum we terminated our survey of the 
Acropolis and its edifices. The whole area of the summit 
was once stocked with statues of benefactors and altars dedi- 
cated to the gods. Nearly all these have disappeared. The 
most precious and beautiful were undoubtedly carried away at 
a very early date, to grace the imperial palaces and private 
villas of Rome and Constantinople. A semicircular pedestal 
was, however, recently discovered by the side of the Propylaea, 
where we saw it, with an inscription "To Minerva the Health- 



46 



THE ACKOPOLIS. 




._2'-'«-0UR S;^ 



* *11 I. ? 



THE EKECHTHEUM EEBTOKED. 



giver." It is said to have been erected in consequence of the 
following circumstance: A favorite workman of Pericles, 
while engaged in the construction of the magnificent portal, 
missed his foothold and fell to the ground. Strange to say, 
he was not killed by the fall, and his miraculous preservation, 
ascribed by his master to the guardianship of the goddess, was 
the occasion of the erection of this monument. But the most 
striking object that greeted the eye, as ancient travelers inform 
us, was a colossal statue of Minerva, standing between the 
Parthenon and the Erechtheum. It was surnamed Promachus, 
or " the Champion," from the threatening mien with which it 
confronted those who entered the sacred precincts. Armed 
with helmet and spear, it seemed about to take speedy venge- 
ance on the audacious mortal who should dare to disturb, with 
sacrilegious hands, the consecrated temples on either side. The 
valiant warriors of Marathon had dedicated this statue, made 
of the spoils of battle, in token of their gratitude. Standing 
on a pedestal, the goddess was full seventy-five feet above the 



STATUE OF MlNP^llVA. 47 

platform of the hill, and towered head and shoulders over all 
surrounding objects. The mariner, as he doubled Cape Suni- 
um, caught a glimpse of the crested helmet and the spear-head, 
and shaped his course accordingly. It was a legend of the 
IVIiddle Ages, that the conquering Alaric had advanced, in the 
fourth century of our era, to the city of Athens, and climbed 
the Acropolis, intending to rifle the time-honored localities of 
their accumulated treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones. 
But as the creaking gates of the Propylsea were thrown open at 
his command, he saw before him the gigantic statue of Pallas 
Minerva armed with spear and buckler. She seemed to threat- 
en the trespasser with sudden destruction. The barbarian, who 
had feared neither God nor man, shrunk from what he deemed 
so unequal a combat, and retired from the place animated with 
mingled admiration and awe. Whether the story be true or 
apocryphal, the visitor is tempted to wish that our modern 
Vandals might have beheld some like vision, or at least, an- 
ticipating the universal execration of posterity, have been in- 
duced to withhold their hands from spoiling the most beauti- 
ful monuments of human skill. 

We bade Mr. Pittakes good-evening, and retraced our steps 
toward the entrance, observing as we passed a lofty pedestal, 
standing opposite the temple of Victory, which was surmount- 
ed at first by the equestrian statues of the two sons of Xeno- 
phon. In later times, however, Agrippa, the favorite of Au- 
gustus, supplanted them, and now there is scarcely a trace of 
either of the statues. In descending the outer slope of the 
hill toward the town, we found the ground covered with a sin- 
gular vine, which an old Greek servant who accompanied us 
called picra angouria, or bitter cucumbers. If the ripe fruit be 
merely touched the rind splits, like the common " touch-me- 
not," and the seeds are scattered in all directions. I found 
that it was the momordica elaterium, a powerful cathartic, and, 
in large doses, a virulent poison. It seems to abound most in 
the neiffhborhood of ancient ruins. 




TUK HEM A OF THE PNYX AT ATHEJSS. 



CPIAPTER IV. 



ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWEK TOWN. 

Having gratified my curiosity with a brief survey of the 
Acropolis, a visit often to be repeated during my sojourn in 
Athens, there remained to be seen the antiquities of the lower 
town. The buildings of the Acropolis have the advantage of 
belonging exclusively to a single age, and present us with the 
outlines of a picture of Athens in the time of Pericles : its 
lights and shades the imagination can easily supply. Those 
structures, on the contrary, whose ruins are scattered over the 
plain, date from various epochs. Some carry us back to the 
glorious times of liberty, when the name of Greek was synon- 
ymous with that of freeman. Others tell of foreign domina- 
tion, when gold and tinsel could scarcely disguise the galling 
chains of the Roman Emperors. Though not so numerous as 
the ruins of the city of the Caesars, nor spread over so extens- 
ive a surface, they are, on the whole, better preserved, and 
more interesting in themselves. They can scarcely be brought 
within the compass of a single excursion. 

My first walk led me to that quarter of ancient Athens 
which the Emperor Hadrian took under his special protection, 
and was ambitious to have named from himself. Early one 
morning, issuing forth into the street upon which the Consul- 
ate faced, I followed it in the opposite direction from the 
Market, and in five minutes reached the open fields. Here, 
as on all sides of Athens, there stood formerly a low wall: but 
it has been destroyed since the time of the Turks, although the 
town has not spread at all in this direction. The view was 



THE GATE OF IIADKIAN. 41) 

t 

quite unobstructed. But a few paces fi'om me rose a light 
and airy gateway, through whose open arch appeared in the 
distance the remnant of a noble colonnade, on a platform 
overlooking the bed of the River Ilissus. Beyond the latter 
Avere some low hills lining the opposite bank, in which was 
embedded the stadium, or ancient race-course. The "Flow- 
ery hill Hymettus," a rugged mountain, formed the background 
of the tableau. Nearer on the left were the king's palace and 
the English church. Approaching the arch, I recognized in 
it the " Gate of Hadrian," marking the entrance into Hadri- 
anopolis. Directly over the arch an inscription is cut in large 
letters, which in English would read thus : 

"this is ATHENS, THE ANCIENT CITY OF THESEUS." 

But on the eastern side are the words, 

"this IS THE CITY OP HADKIAN, NOT THAT OF THESEUS." 

They indicate conclusively that the Emperor arrogated to him- 
self the founding of this part of Athens, as Theseus had erect- 
ed the older portion. But though the Emperor was a noble 
patron of the arts and sciences, and strove ineffectually to re- 
kindle the half-extinguished embers of Grecian genius, we can 
only give him the credit of restoring and embellishing the 
dilapidated city. Over the archway there were columns of 
the Corinthian order, supporting a pediment of graceful pro- 
portions. Between the columns there were three compart- 
ments ; the central one doubtless containing the statue of the 
royal benefactor, and the others statues of his favored friends. 
All the great threshing-floors of Athens are situated near 
this gateway and the adjoining temple. From the fields for 
miles around the city, the wheat is brought on the backs of 
horses or asses to the public floor. This is generally a circu- 
lar area of fifty feet in diameter, paved with common rough 
stones. Great heaps of sheaves are collected, until there is a 
sufficient quantity to give occupation to the threshers. Then 
the wheat is evenly distributed over the entire floor to the 
depth of several inches. Half a dozen horses with drags per- 
form the operation of treading out the grain. The drag is 
furnished with iron teeth on its under side, and is rendered 
more effective by the weight of the driver, who stands ©n it 
with a rope to guide his horses, and a long stick in his hands. 

C 



50 ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWEK TOWN. 

The entire number of horses run abreast, and as they whirl 
around, considerable skill is necessary, to prevent collision. 
The air, meanwhile, re-echoes with the merry shouts of the 
threshers. In a short time the grain is separated from the 
stalk, and the straw is removed with great wooden pitchforks. 
Should the wind be strong enough, the remaining wheat is 
winnowed by being thrown into the air by means of wooden 
shovels. Passing by these threshing-floors toward dusk one 
evening, I found that the grain not yet thoroughly cleansed of 
chaff had been piled up in various places in long low heaps. 
As we approached two or three peasants simultaneously shout- 
ed to us to take care not to touch the wheat. In seeking a 
cause for their solicitude, we found that the smooth surface 
of the heap had been stamped in various places, or, as they 
said, it had been sealed — " boulonetai." Impressions had 
been made by means of a board a foot long, with a few letters 
deeply cut into it, at intervals of a few inches, over the entire 
surface. The object was to prevent the owner from coming 
stealthily and removing any part of his produce, without pay- 
ing the usual contribution of one tenth to the government. 
The owner is consequently obliged to lie down by the floor at 
night, and prevent any stray cattle from marring the impres- 
sion of the seal. The custom is of Oriental origin, and it may 
be readily imagined how oppressive it is to the Greek farmer. 
The archway is still a thoroughfare ; for I met a long line 
of donkeys laden with brush, entering the town through it ; 
while another string came, on their way from the market, 
with empty paniers on their backs. I walked to the columns 
that I had seen in the distance, belonging to the Temple of Ju- 
piter Olympius. From afar some conception of their size could 
be formed, by comparing them with two or three wooden drink- 
ing-shops in their immediate neighborhood. But when I stood 
by the pedestal of one of these enormous piles, it seemed to 
tower almost to the skies. The square block on which one of 
them rested measured, I found, about eight feet and a half on 
each side. The base of the column was twenty-one feet in 
circumference, and it was more than sixty feet high. Of these 
immense pillars only sixteen were standing, and one of these 
has fallen since. They belonged to the southeastern corner of 



THE OLYMPIUM. 51 

the edifice. Of the magnitude and appearance of the Olym- 
piura, the following particulars will convey some idea. It 
was 359 feet long and 173 broad. The whole was surround- 
ed by a spacious portico, sustained on the sides by a double, 
and at the ends by a triple row of Corinthian columns. Twen- 
ty stood in each row on the sides, and ten formed the facade. 
There were, besides, a few columns in the entrance of the main 
body, or cella of the temple ; so that the entire number em- 
ployed in the adorning of the outside was no less than 120 or 
122. The cost of quarrying such immense blocks of stone as 
make up these columns, must necessarily have been enormous ; 
for they were brought with little or no mechanical assistance 
from the marble quarries of Mount Pentelicus. They have 
sufiered less from the effects of earthquakes than the Parthe- 
non ; but the hand of man has dealt even more hardly with 
them. For ages the unfortunate Olympium has served as a 
marble mine for the inhabitants of Athens. As late as 1760 
a seventeenth column was demolished by order of the Turkish 
governor, who used its materials in the construction of a new 
mosque in the bazar. Such also has doubtless been the fate of 
the whole interior of the temple, of which not a vestige has 
been left. 
And yet 

"Thou art not silent I — oracles are thine 
Wliich the Avind utters, and the spirit hears, 
Lingering mid ruin'd fane and broken shrine, 
O'er many a tale and trace of other years ! 
Bright as an ark, o'er all the flood of tears 
That Wi?»^s thy cradle-land, thine earthly love, 
"Wliere hours of hope mid centuries of fears. 
Have gleamed, like lightnings through the gloom above. 
Stands, roofless to the sky, thy home, Olympian Jove !" 

T. K. Hervey. 

The history of the Olympium adds interest to its ruins 
greater than the mere statement of their dimensions could give. 
No ancient structure in Greece has undergone such vicissitudes 
of fortune. About twenty-four centuries have rolled away 
since the first stone was laid, not far fi-om a hundred years be- 
fore Pericles commenced the Parthenon. To Pisistratus, about 
the year 530 B.C., may be ascribed the idea of erecting in Ath- 



^2 ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWER TOWN. 

ens a temple to the Jupiter of Mount Olympus : but his plan 
was slowly executed during the period of the Athenian com- 
monwealth. For ages the Olympium, like the shrines of Co- 
logne and Milan, remained in an unfinished condition. The 
limited resources of the Athenian state could ill afford the vast 
sums needful for the completion of a temple, which, after that 
of Diana at Ephesus, was probably the greatest structure of 
the Greek world. All her own revenues, and those of her al- 
lies, were swallowed up in a rapid succession of useless civil 
wars, or lavished in the decoration of the smaller but more ex- 
quisite models of the Acropolis. To cap the climax of mis- 
fortune, when Sylla captured Athens with a Roman army, 
after an obstinate siege, he plundered the Olympium of all its 
newly-prepared columns, which he transported to Rome, and 
placed around the more potent Jupiter of the Capitol. After 
so severe a loss, more than two centuries elapsed before the 
Emperor Hadrian undertook to finish it. Those fine columns 
of Pentelican marble which we now see, were doubtless erected 
by this prince, and nothing older remains, but the massive 
stone walls supporting its platform, strengthened at regular 
intervals by strong buttresses. 

An Athenian friend pointed out to me a piece of modern 
wall on the top of the architrave of one of the columns, be- 
tween sixty and seventy feet above the ground. "That," 
said he, " was the cell of a solitary hermit, who many years 
ago took up his abode there for the remnant of his life. His 
superior sanctity soon became known throughout the town. 
Multitudes flocked out to see this new Simon Stylites, who 
spent his time, as was reported, solely in the exercise of med- 
itation and devotion. Since, however, neither the one nor 
the other could satisfy his bodily wants, he was accustomed 
at stated intervals to lower a basket, which the devout old 
women were but too glad to fill with all necessary food. Un- 
fortunately the old hermit has gone the way of all living; 
and no one has been found sufficiently devout or courageous 
to take his place, even in hope of living on the public during 
the term of his natural life." 

Descending from the platform of the Olympium, I presently 
reached the bed of the Ilissus. It was as dry as the ground 



THE STADIUM. ,j3 

• 

about it, except in one spot where there was a spring. At 
this spot the women were already busy washing clothes ; while 
half a score of boys played about the water, and filled the air 
with their outcries. This, it is now well agreed, was the fount- 
ain Callirrhoe, or Enneacrunus, as it was called from the nine 
pipes that fed it. Its water was considered the purest, and 
maidens before their marriage, as well as priestesses, were wont 
to bathe in its mystic bosom. 1 followed the dry channel for 
some distance. In winter the rains swell the Ilissus to the 
size of a moderate creek ; but it never deserves the name of a 
river, in our sense of the word. At present it was overgrown 
with shrubs. Among the rest, I noticed particularly the ag- 
nus castns, and the oleander, both of which flower in spring. 
They grow here in the greatest profusion. 

A few steps brought me to the piers of an ancient bridge 
across the Ilissus : which was undoubtedly a much more con- 
stant, and, perhaps, a more abundant stream, when the country 
was more thoroughly cultivated, and the mountains were cov- 
ered with dense forests. The bridge served as an approach to 
the Stadium, occupying a hollow between two low hills on the 
opposite, or southern bank. The ravine was naturally well 
adapted to the construction of a stadium, and it required com- 
paratively little labor to give it the form required. This 
was done about the middle of the fourth century before Christ, 
for the celebration of the games annually observed during the 
Panathenaic festival. The hills on either side were crowded 
with benches for spectators, of whom twenty-five thousand 
might be accommodated with seats, besides the multitudes who 
could stand on the summit. The length of the level space at 
the bottom is 675 feet, and its width at the end toward the 
Ilissus is 137 feet. At the other, or rounded end, where the 
chariots were to turn, it is nearly twice as wide. Here the 
judges sat far aloft. The benches, which were originally of 
the common limestone, or else of wood, were replaced by the 
bounty of a single private citizen, Herodes Atticus, a subject 
of Hadrian, by marble seats ; which, however, have been all 
taken away. The effect of those imposing games was further 
increased by two temples crowning the hill on both sides of 
the Stadium. 



5 -J ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWEK TOWN, 

• 

I made my way, through the clumps of bushes that cover 
the bottom of the Stadium, to the rounded end. Here I found 
a man busy at work, picking dandelion leaves, of which he was 
going to made a salad. This dish is said, by those who like sal- 
ads, to be quite palatable ; but I must confess that it was not to 
my taste. A little to the right of the judges' seat is a large 
opening in the side of the hill, which I explored. Following 
it a short distance, I found it nearly choked up in places by the 
falling of stone and earth from overhead. After a bend the 
passage comes out upon the opposite side of the hill. The ob- 
ject of this outlet was obvious enough. The charioteers who 
had been vanquished, drove, or rather sneaked out through it ; 
while their victorious competitor proceeded to the city by the 
direct road, and received the loud acclamations of the multi- 
tude. 

The heat was already growing oppressive, and I hastened 
to return. Beyond the Ilissus from the Stadium, a stone wall 
bounds a small inclosure which now serves as the English and 
American cemetery. Here are buried a number of our coun- 
trymen who have died far from home and native land. The 
whole is well laid out, and in time will be a cool and pleas- 
ant spot. 

Upon another morning I went to visit the ruins on the south- 
ern side of the Acropolis. During the previous day there had 
sprung up a strong north wind, called by the Greeks Meltem- 
pi. While it continued the air was filled with sand and dust, 
raised in its course over the dry plain, upon which scarcely a 
drop of rain had fallen. It is said to continue at least three 
days; and during that time it is exceedingly disagreeable to 
venture out. It was quite impossible to make even the rough- 
est sketch. Clouds of dust concealed the distant mountains 
from view. Not far below the southeastern comer of the 
Acropolis, I came to a half-ruined building, said to be part 
of the monastery where Lord Byron resided while at Athens. 
Just beyond it was the singular little structure that goes by 
the popular name of the Lantern of Demosthenes. More prop- 
erly it is the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates. Its plan is quite 
unique. Upon a square foundation, now almost entirely buried 
beneath an accumulation of earth, rises a round building, 



COMBATS OF liAOOHUS. 



an 




CHORAGIC MOHUMEST OF LYSICEATE8. 



scarcely six feet in diameter. Six graceful Corinthian col- 
umns support an entablature, upon which are sculptured with 
exquisite skill, though on a small scale, the contests of Bac- 
chus and the Tyrrhenian pirates. These criminals are seen 
fleeing before the wine-god and his attendant satyrs. In two 
or three places they are represented at the very moment when, 
by the mandate of Bacchus, their bodies are undergoing a trans- 
formation into dolphins. The fish's head already grows on 
the man's shoulders, and the unfortunate monster is about to 
plunge into ocean's depths. Elsewhere, Bacchus is seen relax- 
ing from his toils, and playing with a huge lion, upon a lone- 
ly rock. On the top of the roof there is a triangular pedes- 
tal. This explains the use of the whole monument, or temple. 
Lysicrates, as indeed we learn from an inscription still legi- 
ble on the architrave, was a wealthy citizen of Athens, and 
one of those who were expected to defray the expenses of train- 



56 



ANTIQUITIES Oi< THE LOWER TOWN. 



ing the orchestras, for the great musical performances in the 
neighboring Theatre of Bacchus. On one occasion, the same 
year that Alexander the Great invaded the Persian empire, his 
chorus gained the victory ; and the prize, a highly ornamented 
brazen tripod, was adjudged to Lysicrates. This little temple 
was erected expressly to serve as a support for the honorable 
reward. The common people give it the name of Lantern of 
Demosthenes, because they have a tradition that the noble 
Athenian orator made it his study. The chief difficulty that 
naturally occurs to every one at first sight, is that the ancient 
worthy would have been at a loss to know how to enter the 
building, for the space between the columns was closed by 
curved slabs of marble, and there was no door. Besides, the 
dark interior of a monument scarce six feet in breadth, could 
not have furnished him a very pleasant place of meditation. 

The modern town does not extend much further in this direc- 
tion. The neighborhood can muster, however, a goodly num- 
ber of boys ; who, on another occasion, when I came to sketch 
the "lantern," or "/b!?2an," gathered around me, to my no 
small amusement, and watched me as narrowly as they did 
my drawing. A friend of mine, an American artist, not long 
after, while engaged in the same occupation, was equally en- 
tertained in observing the interest that these urchins manifest- 
ed in his proceedings. In fact, they came up closer than nec- 
essary ; and on his return to the hotel he found that his hand- 
kerchief had been skillfully abstracted from his pocket. 

Having turned the southeastern corner of the Acropolis, I 




STREET OF THE TRIPODS. 



STREET OF THE TRIPODri. 57 

reached a slope once occupied by the Theatre of Bacchus, of 
which scai'cely a trace remains, except in the shape of the soil. 
The ancient approach to this celebrated edifice was by a thor- 
oughfare running by the Monument of Lysicrates, and called 
the Street of the Tripods, from the number of those trophies 
displayed on every side. Directly above the theatre there is a 
natural cavern, which was formerly adorned with a faQade by 
some successful leader in the orchestra ; and two columns of 
unequal height standing at the very foot of the citadel's walls, 
were likemse surmounted by tripods. I climbed up to the 
cavern, which is now turned into a sort of chapel dedicated to 
the '■^ Panagia Speliotissa,^^ or the "Virgin of the Cave." A 
solitary lamp was burning in broad daylight before a rude pic- 
ture ; but not a soul was in sight. It is a pleasing feature of 
the Greek character, that even the vilest pay a sincere respect 
to religion. However mistaken their notions of morality and 
devotion in general, even the Heft, or professed robber, would 
never dream of touching with sacrilegious intent any thing- 
belonging to the Church ; though the unfortunate curate hap- 
pening to fall in with him finds no pity at his hands. The 
churches and chapels in the most lonely places are left open 
without the least fear of desecration. Before the entrance of 
the cave lie one or two inscriptions bearing the name of Thra- 
syllus, the builder of the architectural part. 

Following the base of the southern side of the Acropolis, I 
passed over the site of the Stoa or Porch of Eumenes, where 
the people used to take refuge, when a sudden shower of rain 
drove them from the roofless theatre. I noticed there several 
deep wells, and a bath made of stone, with an inscription dif- 
ficult to be deciphered. I now entered the Odeum of RegiUa, 
built by Herodes Atticus in honor of his wife. This private 
citizen was, next to his sovereign Hadrian, the greatest bene- 
factor of Athens, where he left ample indications of his mu- 
nificence. So great was his wealth, that the story was current 
that his father had unexpectedly discovered a treasure hidden 
under gTound. According to law, it belonged to the crown ; 
and Herodes wrote at once to the Emperor, to ask what he 
should do with it. "Use it," was Nerva's direction. The 
treasure was so considerable, that the Athenian replied he 

C2 



58 



ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWER TOWN. 




ODEUM OF HEEODES. 



knew not how to use it. " Abuse it then," the generous mon- 
arch at once rejoined.* Accordingly the son lavished his 
money with a freedom that knew no parallel ;. but he had at 
least the merit of making it conduce to the public good. 

I found the remains of the Odeum more extensive than I 
had anticipated. The spectators sat on marble benches on the 
side of the hill ; but these have been carried away. The mas- 
sive wall, however, behind the orchestra, rises to the height 
of three or four stories. The scene was formed by the reced- 
ing of the wall toward the centre ; and the windows behind it 
were closed, that the attention of the spectators might not be 
distracted by a sight of the landscape beyond. The other 
windows were large and arched, and plenty of light was ob- 
tained from overhead, since all the performances took place dur- 
ing the daytime. Lest, however, the people should be incom- 
moded by the sun, a huge tent of canvas was stretched over 
the audience. It has been calculated that about six thousand 
people could be contained within the Odeum, whose diameter 
is about two hundred and forty feet; while the Theatre of 
Bacchus is stated to have been capable of holding twenty or 
even thirty thousand spectators. I climbed with ease to one 
of the windows, and sat there a while, enjoying an extended 
view reaching to the Saronic Gulf on the left. The hill of 

* Gihbon, chap. H. 



THE MUSEUM. . 5ij 

the Museum, which I intended to visit next, was directly in 
front. At the western end of the scene I found an ancient 
winding stairway by which I attained the exterior ; and then 
iiscended to the level of the groulid by an ancient flight of steps. 

A dry and dusty field stretched between the Odeum and the 
Museum. It was a veritable field of stones, mixed with frag- 
ments of broken pottery. A friend walking with me over the 
same ground, picked up the handle of a jar of common earth- 
enware, with a stamp containing the name of the archon in 
whose time it was made. Such fragments are not unfrequent- 
ly found, and seem to indicate, from the frequent occurrence 
of the names of Rhodes, Cos, etc., that most of the vessels 
were made in the islands of the Archipelago. Less fortunate, 
I discovered, nevertheless, two pieces of baked clay in the form 
of square truncated pyramids, above two inches high, and an 
inch and a half broad at the base. Dr. K. supposes them to 
have been used for plumb-lines, from their similarity to the 
weights now employed for that purpose ; but Mr. Finlay in- 
clines to think that they were weights used by weavers, or, 
perhaps, even registered weights. The two that I found had 
each a hole passing through near the top, for a string or han- 
dle, and were originally covered with glazing. 

There were a number of men dressed in the common peas- 
ant's costume, with their wide baggy trowsers, engaged in col- 
lecting the stones into heaps — an endless task, as it seemed to 
me. How any thing can grow in so arid a soil passed my 
comprehension. Yet it is difficult to judge of the productive- 
ness of the land, at a season when it has been parched during 
five or six months of uninterrupted drought ; that is, since the 
middle of May. 

The Museum is a hill of almost the same height as the 
Acropolis, though altogether different in shape, and present- 
ing an easy ascent on this side. It is situated a few hundred 
yards to the south or southwest. The name is derived from a 
poet, Musgeus, who is fabled to have sung his last songs here, 
and to have been buried on the spot. The chief object of in- 
terest is a very conspicuous ruin on the summit, which can be 
descried from afar on the plain. It is the Monument of Phi- 
lopappm, the last descendant of the Seleucidae, the ruling dy- 



60 



ANTIQUITLE8 OF THE l.OWER TOWN. 




MONUMENT OF PHILOPAPPUS. 



nasty of Syria until its conquest by the Romans. Semicircu- 
lar in form, the concave portion is turned toward the city, and 
is adorned with sculptures of considerable merit, executed about 
A.D. 105, during the reign of Trajan. Originally there were 
three niches, separated by pilasters ; but as the western third 
has fallen, there now remain but two niches. The principal 
one is filled by a mutilated statue of Philopappus himself, who 
seems to have become an Athenian citizen, and distinguished 
himself for his public liberality and munificence. This ac- 
counts for the permission granted him to erect his tomb with- 
in the walls by the Athenians, who were so much opposed to 
intermural interments. The niches on either side were small- 
er, and contained statues of Antiochus and Seleucus. Below 
them is a spirited bas-relief representing a triumphal proces- 
sion — most probably that of the Emperor Trajan. As usual, 
not one of the heads of the figures has been preserved. The 
Turks, believing them to be the idols of the infidels, uniformly 
mutilat^ the countenances, that they mi^ht no longer be ob- 



LONG WALL8 OF ATHENS. 61 

jects of adoration. The whole edifice seems to have been 
about thirty feet broad. The opposite or convex side was 
probably devoid of much ornament ; and, indeed, any decora- 
tion would have been quite useless, since the city wall was di- 
rectly in the rear. 

On the Museum the fortifications of Athens joined the Long 
Walls, which served to keep up a safe and constant communi- 
cation between it and Piraeus. Standing on the top, I could 
readily trace the direction of the two walls, running parallel 
for nearly four miles, at the distance of five hundred and fifty 
feet apart. When they reached the heights above Pirasus, 
these huge arms of the city opened and received the entire 
port within their embrace. The northern wall encompassed 
the principal harbor, while the other ran down to the sea- 
shore. Themistocles, who erected the powerful fortifications 
of Piraeus, is said to have planned this immense undertaking ; 
but it was executed by Pericles, and ranked among his great- 
est works. For the space between the walls not only offered 
a safe refuge to the villagers and country-people, but the walls 
were a long intrenchment defending all the fields to the south 
from armed invasion. The possession of so strong a system of 
fortification was naturally an object of envy to the Spartans ; 
and when Athens fell into their hands, at the conclusion of 
the Peloponnesian War, they set about the work of destruc- 
tion to the sound of joyous music, and crowned with festive 
chaplets.* It was fourteen years later that the Athenian ad- 
miral, Conon, supported by a Persian fleet, restored the walls 
to their original strength. 

I walked down the western side of the hill, and in the hol- 
low between it and the Pnyx I saw a curious tomb hewn out 
from the solid rock. Farther on I reached what goes by the 
name of the Prison of Socrates. There are three doors in the 
face of the rock. The left and middle one lead into a square 
chamber with rough walls. The other opens into an oblong 
room of small size, in the farther corner of which there is a 
doorway conducting to a third chamber, ten or fifteen feet in 
diameter. The ceiling is dome-shaped, and a round aperture 
lets in a flood of light from above. What these excavations 
* Thirlwall's History of Greece, c. XXX. 



62 ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWER TOWN. 

served for, I was quite at a loss in settling to my own satisfac- 
tion. It seems improbable that they should have been used 
for a prison ; and being inside of the walls, they can scarcely 
have been tombs. The notion has long prevailed among the 
Athenians that they were occupied by the Attic sage whose 
name they bear, and that he expired within their vaults. 

Walking along the Pnyx, which is a ridge much lower than 
the Museum, I soon found myself on the level platform where 
the assemblies of the people were held. The ground seems to 
have been reduced to its present condition by artificial means. 
Its plan is semicircular ; and the base, which appears to be 
straight, is in reality curved inwardly. Whether this was ac- 
cidental, or answered the purpose of improving the acoustic 
effect, I am not informed. The arrangement, however, seems 
eminently to favor the conveyance of sound over a large area. 
The perpendicular face of rock, some ten feet in height, bound- 
ing the Pnyx on this side, is interrupted in the centre by a 
square stand projecting some feet out of the line. By means 
of steps on one side of it, I mounted to the top, and stood upon 
the bema, or rostrum, whence Demosthenes delivered some of 
his most stirring orations. On the crowded space before 
him were collected thousands of auditors who hung upon his 
words. Since no part of the area was occupied by seats, the 
number within reach of his voice must have been immense. 
Every voter could be accommodated with ease, for it contain- 
ed no less than twelve thousand yards ;* and six thousand 
hearers are mentioned as having been present on some partic- 
ular occasions. The lower side of the platform is supported 
by a wall of stone drawn from the vicinity. These attracted 
my attention from their unusual size. One that I measured 
was twelve feet in length and six or seven high ; its breadth 
I was unable to ascertain. The bulk of these blocks entitles 
them almost to be ranked among the Cyclopean constructions 
of the earlier period of Greek history. 

Between the Pnyx and the Acropolis is a still lower hill, 

one of the same system of elevations, and I directed my steps 

thither as I returned to the consulate. It is a mere rock, 

rough and precipitous on three sides, especially toward the 

* Wordsworth's Athens and Attica, p. 69. , 



THE HILL OF MARS. G3 

Acropolis, where a large mass has broken off and fallen. This 
is the Ai'cbpagus, or Hill of Mars. Nothing in its external 
appearance would convey the least intimation that here was 
the seat of the most venerable court of Athens, or indeed of 
Greece, whose first duty is said to have been to try the god Mars 
on a charge of murder, while among its last scenes was the no- 
ble defence of the Apostle Paul. Here, in full view of the 
whole city, whose gorgeous temples, the resort of a devout and 
superstitious multitude, towered above the other buildings: 
the orator was called upon to defend the introduction of a 
new and strange religion. Unterrified by the fear of punish- 
ment for a crime that four centuries before had cost Socrates 
his life, St. Paul boldly preached a God, whom they ignorant- 
ly worsliipped, and the resurrection of the dead, which they 
laughed to scorn. Of no site in Athens can there be less rea- 
son to distrust the identity. It has been proved beyond the 
shadow of a doubt. And though it be divested of all save 
these hallowed associations, the Christian can stand on no 
spot, even in this classic land, that calls up such thrilling rec- 
ollections. It is well for us, perhaps, that besides some six- 
teen steps cut in the limestone rock, and a bench near the top, 
little remains to indicate the precise locality where the re- 
nowned court held its sessions. I felt that we might be in- 
duced to pay too much reverence to the scene of so great a 
transaction, and forget the truths the Apostle meant to incul- 
cate. Strangely enough, the Greeks have built no chapel on 
the illustrious rock, though, until lately, there were the ruins 
of a small church of St. Dionysius the Areopagite at a short 
distance below. 

I had now made most of the circuit of the Acropolis, and I 
brought my walk to a conclusion by strolling along the north- 
ern side until I entered a narrow lane, and found my way 
home. 

To complete our survey of the antiquities of Athens, we 
must explore those that lie concealed in the modern town. 
Almost directly in front of the post-office is a singular octag- 
onal building. The common name it goes by is the Temple 
of JEolus, or of the Winds, from the winged figures upon the 
sides. Each is the impersonation of the wind blowing from 



t)4 ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWEll TOWN. 

that particular point of the compass. Boreas looks northward 
down the principal thoroughfare of the city, toward the mark- 
et-place. Zephyrus meets the mild western breezes that blow 
from the plains of Eleusis. A curious triton formerly adorned 
the top like a weather-cock, and the wand in his hand point- 
ed out the wind that prevailed. This interesting monument, 
which was in reality a Horologium, or "clock-tower," built 
by a single public-spirited Athenian, Andronicus Cyrrhestes, 
served to keep time for the whole town. On the sides are to 
be traced as easily as ever the lines of the old sun-dials. A 
few years since new rods of iron were inserted as gnomons at 
each of the corners ; and now the passer may read the time 
from the face of the marble, chiseled two thousand years ago. 
For cloudy weather a water-clock, the only time-piece the an- 
cients were acquainted with, was placed for inspection in the 
interior of the edifice. This was, in fact, its principal design. 
An aqueduct, a few arches of which still remain, conducted 
the water of a small spring into a reservok just behind the 
tower, and so supplied the clock. At present the Horologium 
stands in a hole full fifteen or twenty feet deep. This furnish- 
es a pretty accurate standard to determine the accumulation 
of soil during the past twenty centuries. What treasures of 
art lie concealed beneath the rubbish it is now impossible to 
determine. The modern town has grown over it again since 
the revolution, and there are slender grounds for expecting 
that any thorough system of exploration will be undertaken 
in our day. 

Walking down into the market-place our attention is imme- 
diately drawn to the gray stone walls overtopping the wooden 
shanties, and contrasting singularly with their weakness. I 
penetrated through the crowd of peddlers and buyers, and 
found myself within the inclosure of the Stoa of Hadrian. It 
was a great quadrangle, 376 feet long and 252 broad, with a 
stout wall of marble surrounding it. Externally the face was 
merely supported at intervals by massive buttresses, except on 
the west, where a stately row of Corinthian columns still 
shows that this was the principal entrance. Around the 
court on the inside ran a broad portico ; and the court itself 
was perhaps cultivated as a garden. It contained a library 



GATE OF THE NEW MARKET. (35 

and other buildings. But what a metamorphosis has the 
entire structure undergone ! The whole interior, for I know 
not how long, has been used as a bazar. The quiet retreat 
of philosophers is the most noisy part of the city ; the beauti- 
ful paintings of the walls are defaced ; the costly marbles have 
disappeared. Where the library stood is seen an unsightly 
clock-tower erected by Lord Elgin himself, as a sort of indem- 
nification, I presume, for his pilfering from the Parthenon. He 
has chronicled his own munificence in a long Latin inscrip- 
tion, which I have heard the more educated Greeks read with 
the greatest indignation. The government for a long time 
has been talking of procuring a more suitable place for the 
market, and clearing this whole area. This were a consum- 
mation much to be desired. As it was, in hunting out the 
spot where a few traces of the inner portico were said to re- 
main, I was obliged to make my way through a butcher's 
shop, and past the heaps of new hides from a slaughter-house, 
to a place where, looking into a dilapidated hovel, I saw three 
or four columns supporting an architrave. How much more 
remains concealed, will only appear when the plan of the gov- 
ernment is put into execution. 

I left the busy scenes of the market, and a few minutes 
after found myself standing before a stately portal of four large 
marble columns of the Doric order. The precise object of 
this solitary monument is not, at first sight, quite evident; 
but it has been pretty well settled that it graced the entrance 
to the New Market, or Agora. This was not the space de- 
voted to the purposes of trade in the palmy days of Athens ; 
for that covered the ground south of the Acropolis and Areop- 
agus. It was here, however, that St. Paul was in the habit 
of engaging in discussion, alike with the learned and the lowly. 
I found close by an upright slab of marble, on which were in- 
scribed the prices of various commodities sold in the market, 
as regulated by an ordinance of the Emperor. One would 
think that with so strict precautions the hucksters could find 
few means of cheating their customers; but such does not 
seem to have been the fact. The maximum prices of many 
of the articles would furnish a striking contrast with their 
value in money at the present day. 



66 ANTIQUITIES OF THE LOWEK TOWN. 

I wished next to find my way to the Temple of Theseus ; 
and for this purpose followed a westerly direction. Passing 
through what was once perhaps the most populous portion of 
the city, I could find but few remains. One of small extent 
is attributed to the Stoa Poecile, the most famous of all the por- 
ticoes of which Athens could boast. A room in it, which I 
entered through a garden, was formerly used as a chapel ; but 
has now been degraded into a store for all manner of rubbish. 
Further on there is another and more extensive collection of 
walls, which, from their construction with alternately wide and 
narrow layers of stone, are known to have been erected about 
the Macedonian epoch. In one obscure court I came across 
a statue of elegant workmanship, representing a Triton. His 
well-shaped body is terminated by a scaly tail twisted nearly 
up to his head. The general expression is one of suffering and 
despair. Hence Pittakes supposed the colossal effigy to have 
belonged to the monument of Phorbas, whom Erechtheus 
wished to slay.* 

The Theseum, whose serene front soon appeared over the top 
of the mud walls in the vicinity, stands upon a slight eminence 
on the very outskirts of Athens toward the west. More per- 
fect outwardly than any other temple extant, it gives a better 
notion of the imposing character of a Grecian shrine, executed 
according to the strictest requirements of art. It has under- 
gone little change since the day of its foundation. The col- 
umns are intact ; their sharp edges occasionally somewhat 
softened down by the wear of time, and a stray block in their 
lofty shafts moved slightly from its firm foundation, by the ir- 
resistible force of repeated earthquakes. The building was 
considerably smaller than the Parthenon. There are but six 
columns on the front and thirteen on the sides. Its length of 
one hundred and four feet scarcely exceeds the width of the 
Parthenon, and its breadth is but forty-five feet. Its antiquity, 
however, is greater than that of the shrine of the Acropolis, and 
dates as far back as 465 B.C. It is said to have been erected to 
cover the bones of the famous hero Theseus, which had been re- 
cently found on the island of Scyrus, and had been brought witli 
superstitious care to this spot. In respect to sculpture, the The- 
* L'Ancienne Athenes, p. 95 (1835). 



TI1E6EUM, 



()7 



seum presented a marked contrast to the richness of ornament 
that loaded every available part of the Parthenon. Of the 
square metopes on the architrave above the columns, merely 
those of the fronts were adorned with works of the chisel ; on 
the sides they were quite plain, with the exception of those 
nearest either end. I found a porter at the side door ready 
to conduct me into the interior of the temple. In the present 
lack of a grand public museum, the government have suffered 
this edifice to be turned into a hall for the reception of a val- 
uable collection of statues and inscriptions. Many of them 
are well worthy of protracted study. I was more particular- 
ly interested in a slab of marble carefully preserved under a 
glass cover. It was recently dug up on the site of a small 
temple at Marathon, and from the name of the artist chiseled 
upon it, has been supposed to have been wrought in the sixth 
or seventh century before Christ. The figure represented at 
full length is in low relief, and the execution is of that stiff 
and hard character which belongs to the infancy of art in ev- 
ery land. Its perfect preservation is indeed almost a miracle, 
considering the lapse of time. 




BAS-RELIEP FEOM THE MONUMENT OF LTSICRATES. 




m^ 



1_ mkrAM 




HOEOLOGIUM OF ANDRONICUS CYKKHESTES, 



CHAPTER V. 



WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 



On Sundays, and especially on the great feasts of the Church, 
the streets of Athens are thronged with men, women, and chil- 
dren, all intent upon recreation. At such times the shops are 
closed, and business transactions suspended. The early morn- 
ing is spent in attendance on divine service ; while the remain- 
der of the day is devoted to visits or amusements. 

The 26th of October (Old Style) was the festival of St. De- 
metrius — that holy man who acted the part of Lot with vari- 
ations. So, at least, the legendaries would have us believe. 
Once upon a timd, say they, the wickedness of Salonica had 
risen to such a pitch, as to render its destruction imperatively 
necessary. Angels were accordingly dispatched to bear intel- 
ligence to the saint, then sojourning in the doomed city, and 
bid him depart from its precincts. Demetrius, upon hearing 
the mandate, begins to remonstrate with the messengers, and 
endeavors to persuade them to spare Salonica. They answer 



A VISIT. 69 

that this is quite impossible: they have express commands. 
The holy man stops for a moment to reflect, and then exclaims, 
" I shall not depart. Go tell your Master that he must not 
destroy the city !" Notwithstanding the peremptory charac- 
ter of the instructions they have received, the angels dare not 
execute their commission. They return, and Salonica is 
spared ! Such is the blasphemous history given of this highly- 
esteemed saint in the Greek legends. 

All the Athenians who happen to be named after St. Deme- 
trius, receive the visits of their acquaintance on his day ; and 
these, in return, are honored in like manner on the festivals 
of their respective patrons in the calendar. Falling in with 
the custom, I walked out in the afternoon with a few friends, 
and called upon Mr. L. at his house in Hermes Street, not far 
from the solitary date-palm, so conspicuous an object in this 
part of the town. After passing through a narrow cOurt-yard, 
we were ushered into a small but neatly-furnished parlor. 
Our host, a portly Greek of five-and-forty, rose to meet us, 
and received with smiling countenance our congratulations on 
his continued health and prosperity. "We were invited to sit 
down, and were soon engaged in agreeable conversation. The 
ladies of the house contributed to our entertainment, and, be- 
fore the termination of our short stay, brought in some refresh- 
ments. A favorite jar of sweetmeats — a curious preserve com- 
pounded solely of rose-leaves and sugar — was offered success- 
ively to each person, who helped himself to a single spoonful. 
By most persons the taste is considered very delicate and pleas- 
ant ; while others think that the flavor of the flower is scarce- 
ly sufficiently smothered in quadruple the weight of sugar. 
Being forewarned, I limited myself to the usual supply, and 
thus avoided the mistake of some foreigners, who have com- 
mitted the unpardonable offence of dipping the spoon a second 
time into the common jar. After tasting the rose preserves 
each guest took a very small glass of Samian wine, or a tum- 
bler of water, as his inclination or his principles directed. 

From the house of our Greek friend we proceeded to the 
public promenade, which, since the heat had diminished, was 
every evening crowded with the " elite" of Athens. The prin- 
cipal walk is on the road leading northward toward the village 



70 WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 

of Patissia — a continuation of ^olus Street. Pedestrians oc- 
cupy the greater part of the hard and smooth surface of this 
road, scattering upon the approach of any vehicle. It is also 
a favorite resort of the king and queen, who may be seen al- 
most any afternoon riding out on horseback in this direction, 
attended by a few guards. Their subjects on such occasions 
stop and do them homage as they pass, and receive a bow in 
return. A stranger need not be astonished, if, when he meets 
the royal party in some solitary place, he is honored with this 
mark of condescension on the part of their Hellenic majesties. 
A more pleasant spot for recreation is the palace garden, to 
which I repeatedly gained access by permission of one of the 
king's adjutants. Its grounds are tastefully laid out with 
handsome walks and shrubbery, and the cultivated flowers are 
mostly the same as those that are favorites with us. In the 
midst of a labyrinth on the southern side is a small pond, whose 
surface is covered with the gigantic leaves of the Victoria regi- 
na — the monster water-lily of the tropics. The climate seems 
to be well adapted to its development ; but I am not aware 
of its having flowered as yet. That this ground was once in- 
cluded within the populous portion of the city, is evident from 
the discovery of a number of antiquities. In one part of the 
garden a mosaic floor, by far the most perfect of its kind at 
Athens, was uncovered a few years ago, and is now protected 
by an arbor densely shaded by varieties of beautiful creepers. 
It is long and irregular in shape, and in an excellent state of 
preservation. Aquatic birds and other unmistakable symbols 
show that it was the floor of some elegant private bath at- 
tached to the villa of a rich Athenian citizen. Not far from 
this mosaic are the prostrate columns of a small temple, whose 
foundations are seen close by. Just beyond the fence on the 
east a long arched channel was found a few months after my 
arrival ; but I have heard no satisfactory solution of its use. 
The land-owners in the vicinity of the royal grounds have ev- 
ery thing to fear from their gradual enlargement. It has even 
been proposed to extend their limits to the banks of the Ilissus, 
and take in the Temple of Jupiter Olympius itself; but as this 
would include one of the most popular resorts of the Atheni- 
ans, the project was abandoned as infeasible. 



COSTUMES OF THE ATHENIANS. 71 

The picturesque costumes of the Greeks — so different from 
tliose of other countries — give a strange liveliness to the scene 
on the promenade. Many of the gentlemen have adopted the 
common European dress ; but the rest cling to that which their 
ancestors have worn for ages. The higher class usually wear 
the Albanian costume, consisting of a tight vest, and over this 
a short coat with the sleeves slit and hanging loosely from the 
elbow. From the waist, a white skirt, ov fustanella, reaches 
to the knees, and is confined to its place by a wide sash or gir- 
dle. By the Greeks of the old school a very slender waist is 
esteemed the greatest point of beauty in a man ; and some are 
said to draw the sash so tightly, that after the lapse of years 
it becomes painful to loosen it even at night. 

Most of the lower class retain the nautical trowsers, differ- 
ing from the Turkish in that, whereas the latter have a bag 
for each leg, in the former both legs are thrust through one 
large blue sack in such a way that the greater part remains 
flapping behind. With this dress, a thick girdle, or some- 
times a broad leathern belt is substituted for the sash. The 
belt is made a general receptacle for pistols and daggers, whose 
projecting handles give the stranger an impression of insecurity, 
augmented by the fierce countenances of those that carry them. 
On the promenade, as well as in society, the Greek generally 
carries a string of beads, frequently of large size, which a 
stranger would naturally mistake for a rosary, until informed 
that it has no religious significance. In fact, it is only a play- 
thing to occupy the fingers, while the mind and lips are busy 
with something else. When engaged in calm conversation, 
the beads pass slowly through the fingers ; but as the speaker 
becomes more and more heated in debate, their motion in- 
creases in rapidity. Playing vdth his beads, which are apt to 
distract the attention of a foreigner, thus comes to facilitate 
the utterance of a Greek ; and even a public speaker does not 
disdain to make use of them in his forensic efforts. 

The ladies are gradually abandoning their pecuhar provin- 
cial attire ; and if now and then the graceful Smyrniote, or 
the odd Hydriote dress is met with, it is much more rare than 
the French fashion. Not unfrequently a lady will take a half- 
way course, and continue to wear the red fezi, or cap, such 



72 WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 

as is worn by the men. Set negligently on the head, with its 
long blue tassel hanging down on one side, it gives the female 
face too boyish a look to be becoming. 

In the midst of the crowd, the priests may readily be detect- 
ed by their long black robes reaching to the feet, and their 
large caps of the same color. Another distinctive mark of the 
order is their long hair, gathered up under their caps, and 
their long and flowing beards. A youth who contemplates 
embracing a monastic or priestly life, begins his preparation 
by allowing his hair to grow for a year or two. 

It is said that in some portions of the peninsula of Maina, 
the southernmost part of Lacedasmonia, it was customary for 
the men to suffer their beards to grow, until they had revenged 
themselves for any injury they might have received. In the 
midst of the civil feuds which rent that unhappy district, this 
practice was adopted as a badge to indicate a thirst for re- 
venge.* A singular, but I believe an authentic instance of 
this custom was seen in the following occurrence, some twenty 
years since. When the President, Capo d'Istria, on a certain 
visit to Maina, was entertained in one of the villages, he no- 
ticed an individual sitting at the further end of the same 
room ; a man of gloomy and forbidding aspect, -with long hair 
and unshaven face, who seemed to shun all intercourse with 
those around. Calling him, the President asked him whether 
he was a candidate for orders; and the man replied that he 
was not. "What are you then?" — "What you have made 
me," was the reply. The stranger proceeded to say that, a 
few months before, his son had been killed in a private quar- 
rel. According to immemorial custom, it became his duty to 

* This practice is the more interesting, from the fact that Herodotus 
tells us of a similar usage among the ancient Peloponnesians. In a bat- 
tle between the Argives and Spartans, the former were routed, and lost 
the important town of Thyrese. "From this time," says the historian, 
"the Argives cut their hair short (for formerly they wore long hair, ac- 
cording to fixed custom), and made a law, enforced by a curse, that no 
Argive should wear long hair, nor the women deck themselves with gold 
ornaments, until they should regain Thyreas. But the Lacedaemonians, 
on the contrary, passed a law ordaining that, although previously it had 
not been their custom to wear long hair, they should do so thenceforth." 

a 82.) 



LONG HAIR WORN FOR REVENGE. 73 

slay the murderer ; but from doing this he was prevented by 
the new laws introduced under the President's administration. 
He had, therefore, waited for justice to be done him ; but 
months had elapsed, and yet the murderer was at large. 
" Now," added he, " if within forty days I am not avenged, I 
shall take the law into my own hands." The President prom- 
ised to attend to the matter, even though much blood might 
be spilled in capturing the culprit. But after his departure, 
he forgot his promise, and so nothing was done. Two months 
after, the injured man went stealthily to his enemy's house, 
and killed, not only him, but four others of his family. He 
then sat down, and penned a letter to Count Capo d'Istria, 
somewhat to this effect : " I have waited not only forty, but 
sixty days, and no justice has been done me. I have now tak- 
en my revenge with interest." The perpetrator of the bloody 
deed was yet alive a few years since. 

The influence of Oriental notions of propriety is observable 
in the restraints put upon the freedom of the gentler sex. A 
lady is thought to have broken all rules of decorum when she 
ventures out alone into the streets, even at mid-day. A stout 
man-servant must follow to protect her ; or, at least, she must 
be accompanied by a trusty maid. There is much of the old 
Grecian feeling in this : for in Athens " no respectable lady 
thought of going out without a female slave ; and the husband 
always assigned one to his wife. At a later date the number 
of these attendants was greatly increased."* 

The dwelling-houses in Athens are of a character much su- 
perior to those of the rural districts and towns. True, the old 
portion surrounding the base of the Acropolis has been rebuilt 
on a plan very similar to that of the town before the Rev- 
olution; every wall that had not been ruined in that dis- 
astrous period was put to use by the returning citizens : and 
such was the scarcity of timber of suitable size, that the 
houses were necessarily constructed of a long and narrow 
shape. But the greater part of the city has since been erected 
in a more symmetrical manner. Unfortunately, three or four 
plans were successively submitted to the government, and in 
turn adopted. Any one of them would have made Athens a 
* Becker's Charicles, p. 469, 
D 



74 WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 

finely laid-out city. Scarcely, however, had the Athenians 
begun to rebuild their houses in conformity with one plan, 
before it was replaced by another. The palace of the king 
was the single point whence all the principal avenues must 
radiate ; and the palace, according to one plan, was to be sit- 
uated on the 'high ground toward the Cephissus ; and, accord- 
ing to another, at the northern end of the city. The citizens 
were ready to chant a Jubilate, when at length their doubts 
were removed, and the corner-stone of the regal mansion was 
laid with great pomp on a third site, near the banks of the 
River Bissus. 

All these adverse circumstances have not prevented the 
New Town, as it is called, from presenting a very comely ap- 
pearance : and numbers of costly edifices, public and private, 
are continually rising. One of these gave the people a fine oc- 
casion for indulging in bitter sarcasm. The owner, a former 
member of the king's cabinet, had been noted for the peculiar 
facility with which an office could be obtained from him, by 
any one that was able to cross his hand with gold. To satisfy 
his vanity, the ex-minister inscribed his initials P. D. on the 
front of his palatial residence. But the people, supposing them 
to denote the source whence his wealth was obtained, chose to 
read them proxenica dora — that is, " consular bribes"-— instead 
of simple Peter Deliannis. 

In every house great precautions are adopted against rob- 
beries. These a few years since were frequently committed. 
A band of ten or fifteen robbers has been known to enter one 
of the largest houses in the city, by the connivance of the por- 
ter, and to plunder it of all its valuables. The poorer class 
of houses are entered with comparative ease. One of these 
— a small shop at the corner of the next street to my resi- 
dence — ^was one morning found rifled of a small amount of 
money that had been left in the drawer. But instead of break- 
ing through the thick door, the robber had effected an entrance 
by digging a hole in the wall, which he had found the easier 
task of the two. This little incident brought forcibly to my 
mind the passage of Holy Writ — "In the dark they dig 
through houses, which they had marked out in the daytime." 
Allusion to the same insecurity of earthen walls is made in 



POSITION OF THE FEMALE SEX. 75 

the description of houses (as it reads in the original), " where 
thieves dig through and steal;" and in the remarkable passage 
where the prophet Ezekiel is represented as conveying his 
goods out, through a hole that he had made in the wall of his 
own house. 

Our modern ideas of gallantry are gi'eatly shocked by the 
open disparagement of the female sex, characteristic of Greek 
society. The birth of a daughter is as much a subject of con- 
dolence, as the birth of a son is one of congratulation. A for- 
eign resident at Athens, the father of a large family of girls, 
is looked upon by his neighbors as the most unlucky of men. 
They wonder at his failure to appreciate their sympathy. A 
story is told of an Athenian, who had set his heart on obtain- 
ing a son to perpetuate his name. Upon learning the disap- 
pointment of his expectations, he endeavored to conceal his 
chagrin, and shame also, in the grove of the Cephissus; where 
he skulked for three days, before he could regain sufficient as- 
surance to meet his acquaintance. The anecdote may be some- 
what exaggerated; but the fact that such feelings exist can 
not be doubted. 

This remarkable preference of the male sex is somewhat ac- 
counted for, by the prevalence of the custom of giving a large 
dowry with a daughter at marriage. In Maina alone the re- 
verse is true : the husband purchases his bride at a heavy 
cost. Elsewhere a portion of the family estate must be sac- 
rificed at the marriage of each daughter ; and he w^ho is able or 
willing to give most, is generally sure of seeing his daughters 
first established in life. Such is the mercenary light in which 
the marriage relation is regarded. Qualities of mind are but 
little taken into account. Nor is it considered an objection of 
any moment that the parties to the contract be totally un- 
acquainted with each other's characters and tastes. Since 
the lady's consent is altogether unessential, her preferences 
are not necessarily consulted. The father's great concern is 
to marry off his daughter at as small a loss as possible ; that 
of the suitor, to obtain the most advantageous match. Mon- 
ey being the chief object on either side, the unfortunate maid- 
en is apt to fare badly between the two. Hence the frequency 
of ill-sorted marriages — a fruitful source of domestic misery. 



76 



WALKS ABOUT ATHENS. 



The wife who has been forced into so unfortunate a union, is 
not free even from abuse and corporal chastisement ; of the 
prevalence of which we need no stronger proof than is afford- 
ed by the frequent allusions to it in the proverbs most current 
among the people. 




KUINS OP THE TEMPLE OF THE OLYMPIAN JOVE. 



s'-^-- -,-S;^P'te 




^- ■^^■•^tf^i/ 



TJNIVEESITY OF OTHO, AT ATHENS. 



CHAPTER VI. 

STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

" Let those that will believe it : I, for one, 
Can not thus read the history of my kind : 
Remembering all this little Greece has done 
To raise the universal human mind." 

MiLNES. 

It may sound strange and incongruous to many an ear to 
talk of education and literature in connection with modern 
Greece. We have been wont to think of the Greeks as the 
most barbarous and illiterate nation of Europe. We began 
by ignoring the natural consequences of long ages of servitude, 
and expected them to emerge from the slime with a robe of 
unsullied brilliancy. Having been disappointed in our unrea- 
sonable anticipations, we have long since ceased to take any 
account of their struggles in the path of improvement. The 
wonderful development that popular education has undergone 
is unknown to most ; and few are aware of the existence of 
any schools of learning that will favorably compare vdth our 
own. When, therefore, I say that the University of Otho at 
Athens possesses at least as many students, and twice as large 
a corps of professors, as the largest of our colleges, I am stat- 
ing a fact that may excite some surprise. 

Shortly after my arrival at Athens I was desirous of visit- 



78 STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

ing the University, and making some inquiries as to the course 
of instruction. I had long intended to avail myself of the 
public lectures as the most convenient means of accustom- 
ing the ear to the sound of the modern language when spoken 
in its greatest purity. In company with Dr. King, who had 
promised to introduce me to some of the more distinguished 
professors, I walked thither one morning at about ten o'clock. 
The winter term had not yet commenced, after a long vaca- 
tion of four months, from June to October. Although the 
regular day for opening was close at hand, only a few stu- 
dents were to be seen in the halls. The spell of summer con- 
tinued as yet unbroken by a single refreshing shower ; and 
neither professors nor students were in any way anxious to 
recommence their occupations until the oppressive heat should 
have somewhat abated. 

The edifice is spacious, and by no means faulty in point of 
taste. Though built in the form of an H, only one of the two 
main portions is entirely finished and in use. The efiect of 
the structure is good, but suffers in dignity from the lowness 
of the roof, contrasted with the size of the building. The 
principal front is said to be constructed in imitation of one of 
the galleries of the Erechtheum. A wide portico runs almost 
the entire length, and is supported by short pillars resting 
upon a high wall that half incloses it. The entrance is be- 
tween two large Ionic columns of fine Pentelican marble pre- 
sented by the king. 

. In the secretary's office we found the Secretary, Mr. Dokos, 
and one of the most distinguished professors, Constantine Aso- 
pius. He is an elderly man, some seventy years of age, I 
should judge. Born at Jannina, in Epirus, he studied there 
under the best teachers. Next he taught school J^r the Greek 
residents of Trieste. Lord Gilford — whose memory to this 
day is held in grateful honor by many Greeks, not only for his 
personal kindness, but on account of the lively interest he en- 
tertained in the whole nation — appreciated his fine abilities, 
and sent him at his own expense to perfect his education in 
Germany, France, and England. On his return he appointed 
him teacher of Greek philology in the Ionian Academy.* 
* A. Sotitsos, Panorama of Greece, Part II., p. 76. 



UNIVERSITY LIBRARY. 79 

Wlien the University was founded at Athens, Asopius was 
called thither to fill a similar chair. He enjoys the reputa- 
tion of being perhaps the best living philologist among the 
Greeks ; and his learning is by no means confined to a single 
department. A fine intellectual head, and a face indicative of 
that rare attainment — a placid old age, ruffled by no impatient 
or peevish disposition — attract the admiration and affection of 
all the students. In their welfare Professor Asopius takes a 
warm interest ; nor is there any one of whom the student is 
more ready to ask counsel. It may, indeed, be remarked that 
in general the coldness and hauteur which mark the relation 
of teacher and pupil in many of our institutions is here re- 
placed by a friendly and even familiar intercourse. Professor 
Asopius was evidently pleased at the idea that an American 
had come to Athens to find out what facilities this city afford- 
ed to those who wished to gain a thorough knowledge of both 
ancient and modern Greek. He expressed the hope that I 
might be only the forerunner of a multitude of American 
scholars, and cordially invited me to his lecture-room. His 
lectures on the Odyssey, and on philology, and the history of 
the Greek poets, are held in high esteem. I began to attend 
them as soon as they commenced ; but the indistinct utterance 
of the speaker is a difficulty which meets one at the very 
threshold. 

The library was the only part of the building that was 
open to inspection. It took me quite by surprise. I had an- 
ticipated seeing at most a few thousand books. The librarian, 
Mr. G. Typaldus, informed me that there were not less than 
70,000 volumes, and that the annual increase was six or eight 
thousand. Nor does it consist of works of small value or merit. 
As far as my subsequent observation went, the selection seemed 
to be excellent ; while some works — such as Napoleon's Expe- 
dition d^Egypte — are rare and costly. In the English depart- 
ment, however, the library is singularly incomplete ; and with 
the exception of the Smithsonian Institute's " Contributions to 
Knowledge" (of which the set is defective), there are no Ameri- 
can publications of importance. This rapid rise of a collection 
of books which equals, if it does not exceed, any similar one 
in the United States, is the more astonishing as the outlay of 



80 STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

money has been very small. Most of the additions have been 
by gifts of wealthy Greeks, and foreigners, among whom I am 
sorry not to be able to mention the names of any American 
benefactors. , 

From the library we walked a short distance to the house 
of Neophytus Bambas. An old woman answered our knock ; 
and on asking for the Tcyrios, we were conducted through a cor- 
ridor to a small back room, where we found Professor Bam- 
bas. He recognized Dr. King at once, and set about finding 
us chairs to sit down. A Greek student's room is not usually 
well provided with such furniture ; but by the moving of a 
number of books and piles of manuscript, seats were provided, 
while the worthy Professor found a place for himself on the 
edge of a cot that occupied a corner of the room. One or 
two students, friends of his, who attended him as did the dis- 
ciples of the ancient philosophers, stood just within the door, 
listening respectfully to our conversation. Professor Bambas 
was a short old man, with white hair, and long flowing beard, 
dressed in the monastic costume. His tone in conversation 
was distinct, but somewhat nasal. For the past thirty or 
forty years he had occupied a distinguished rank among the 
scholars of Greece, and he was a friend and contemporary of 
the great Coray. A native of Scio, so far back as 1816, after 
completing his studies at Paris, he taught in the Lyceum of 
his native city. In 1821 he joined the standard of Demetrius 
Ypsilantis, and for a single year followed a soldier's profession. 
But he soon abandoned an occupation so foreign to his inclin- 
ations, and retired to Cephallenia, and thence to Corfu, to oc- 
cupy the chair of Philosophy. I was the more interested in 
him as having been associated with Rev. Mr. Lowndes and 
Mr. Nicolaides, of Philadelphia, in Asia Minor, in translating 
the Bible into modern Greek. The translation was made at 
the expense of the British and Foreign Bible Society. It was 
at first opposed by many natives on the ground that the lan- 
guage was so nearly the same as to render a version quite un- 
necessary. But the educated laity will now readily concede that 
the Scriptures must remain a dead letter to the people until 
they are supplied with it in an easier idiom than the original 
text, or the Septuagint. A second edition has, however, been 



NEOPHYTL'S BAMBAii. 81 

greatly altered, so as to exclude many vulgarisms whose in- 
troduction seemed unavoidable in the first, and to meet the de- 
mands of the improved state of the language. It is to be regret- 
ted that of late years Professor Bambas has shown a disposition 
to stand aloof from the liberal movements both in Church and 
State. During the invasion of Turkish territory he was 
among the prominent advocates of that ill-starred measure. 

While we were conversing a visitor was announced, who 
proved to be my friend the Sciote merchant, Mr. A. He had 
come to revive old reminiscences and forgotten acquaintance. 
He was once a pupil of Bambas in Scio, where he learned the 
first rudiments of knowledge, at a time when his native island 
was still the garden of the Archipelago. The master and pu- 
pil had not met since that fearful massacre which sent every 
family into mourning for the greater part of its members. 
Bambas did not know but that the boy had fallen a victim to 
the devouring sword, or lingered only to meet the more appall- 
ing doom of perpetual servitude. The scene was truly touch- 
ing, when the old man learned from his own lips the merchant's 
name. He threw his arms affectionately around his former 
scholar's neck, and his flowing silvery locks mingled with the 
young man's darker hair as he kissed him, in true Oriental 
style, on either cheek. Then came a host of questions to be 
answered by each party — of friends long lost, of acquaintances 
in foreign lands, and of their own personal history. I felt that 
my presence would tend to mar the interest of the interview, 
and I rose to leave with a cordial invitation to come often to 
the Professor's sanctum. I regret to be obliged to chronicle 
the recent death of Neophytus Bambas — an event which de- 
prived Greece of an honest and intelligent man whom she 
could ill spare, and of one who had always endeavored to serve 
his country to the best of his knowledge. 

The number of students in attendance upon the University 
was daily increasing, and in about a week the various courses 
of lectures were successively commenced. Meanwhile I had 
formed the acquaintance of some more professors. Among 
them were Mr. Rangabes, who unites the apparently incom- 
patible qualities necessary for the pursuit of archaeology and 
the more graceful culture of the muse ; Mr. Benthylus of the 

D2 



82 STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

Philosophical School ; and Mr. Manousis, lecturer on Univers- 
al History. The latter, as I subsequently learned, is partic- 
ularly obnoxious to the English, and to those who espouse 
their side, for the violence with which he attacked them dur- 
ing the differences between the British and Hellenic govern- 
ments in 1850. 

I found no difficulty in augmenting my circle of friends 
among the students, whose warm reception at once set me at 
ease with them. There are no dormitories within the Uni- 
versity, or Panepistemion ; the students consequently lodge in 
various quarters of the town. Their rooms are generally 
shared between two occupants ; and as the most of them are 
in reduced circumstances, the stock of furniture and books is 
very small. This fact, however, attracts little notice at Ath- 
ens, from the rarity of large fortunes, and the simple style of 
living. The salaries of the employes of the government are 
singularly low — so low, indeed, as to be utterly insufficient 
for the maintenance of a respectable appearance, without the 
means derived from peculation and bribery. Yet the profess- 
ors of the University, most of whom are single men, without 
the exercise of any uncommon degree of frugality, contrive to 
live on salaries of six hundred dollars a year, and even to save 
some part of that sum : and even with such paltry emoluments, 
it is the highest ambition of numbers of young Greeks to occu- 
py a chair in that institution. 

The Athenian student always takes his meals at the eating- 
house, and his fare is simple and wholesome. The warmth of 
the climate reduces the necessity and relish for animal food, 
which rarely appears on the table in any considerable quanti- 
ty, except at Easter. On that great festival, the most august 
of the year, it is a universal and immemorial custom to have 
a whole lamb roasted in every family. There is no one so 
poor within the realm as to be unable to have some part in 
the gayety and good cheer to which the day is devoted. On 
other occasions the only recreation that the student takes con- 
sists in a visit to the theatre, or a walk on the public prome- 
nade with a friend. He will then invariably insist upon ac- 
companying him to the cafe to partake of the rahat-lakoumi, a 
Turkish sweetmeat deservedly popular throughout the East. 



GREEK PROFESSORS. H'd 

In imitation of the German plan, the University is composed 
of four distinct Schools — those of Theology, Law, Medicine, 
and Philosophy. The whole number of professors whoso 
names appear on the programme of studies published soon 
after my arrival, was forty-six ; of whom twenty-five were or- 
dinary professors, and the remainder extraordinary, honorary, 
and adjunct ; the distinction consisting merely in the differ- 
ence of the exQolument they enjoyed, and not in the character 
of their instruction. All these gentlemen are native Greeks, 
with the single exception of Professor Landerer, who has long 
resided in the country, and is a naturalized citizen. One of 
the faculty is annually elected by his associates as Prytanis, 
or President ; but the powers attached to this honorable post 
are very limited, and extend little farther than the delivery of 
an oration at the yearly Commencement in June. The Pry- 
tanis of the previous year had been the Archimandrite Misael 
Apostolides of the Theological School, a man of talent and 
high attainments, but thoroughly wedded to the Russian par- 
ty. He vv^as now to be succeeded by Mr. Pellicas, one of the 
most prominent jurists and law professors of Greece. 

The distribution of instructors in the several departments 
was exceedingly unequal ; as likewise that of the hours de- 
voted weekly to the branches of study. In Theology the three 
professors gave but fifteen hours of instruction ; while in Law 
there were eleven professors and upward of forty lectures ; in 
Medicine twelve professors and between sixty and seventy lec- 
tures ; and in Philosophy and the kindred studies twenty pro- 
fessors and eighty-two lectures. The total number of lectures 
delivered within the compass of a week was, consequently, 
more than two hundred, embracing every department of sci- 
ence and art. There is a similar inequality with respect to 
the apportionment of students in attendance. Of 397 regu- 
larly matriculated students, during a previous year, 242 were 
studying medicine, 86 law, 62 philosophy, and only 7 theology. 
And though the number had now increased to 455, the same 
inequality was still observable. Besides these students who 
were inscribed on the books, and who expected to pursue a 
regular course of study (the phoetetce), there were at least three 
hundred more attending certain branches with greater or less 



84 STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

regularity for a year or two, who receive the designation of 
acroatce, or " listeners." The number of students may, there- 
fore, be safely set down at 750, without including those who 
occasionally frequent the lecture-room as they find time. It 
is a cu'cumstance well worth the noticing, that rather more 
than one half of the matriculated students are from districts 
under the rule of the Sultan. Thus " Free Greece," as she is 
proudly styled, is furnishing to the millions of the same blood 
that are subject to the tyrant's sway, the benefits of a liberal 
education; and thus is she gradually preparing the way for 
their total emancipation from the shackles of ignorance and 
superstition. 

As in Germany, instruction is given wholly by means of 
written lectures.* From the great lack of suitable text-books, 
the students labor under serious disadvantages, and are com- 
pelled to make the mere taking of notes an arduous undertak- 
ing, wasting in the manual exercise much time that might 
be far more profitably expended in reading on the subjects 
treated in the public discourses. It becomes the more indis- 
pensable to commit .to paper the entire substance of the lec- 
tures, from the fact that the only examinations are those to 
which the candidate for a degree must submit. They embrace 
all the subjects comprehended within the course, and are so 
severe that comparatively few succeed in undergoing them. 
Their difficulty arises in part from the want of any prescribed 
order of study. Any lack of adequate preparation is conse- 
quently apt to remain undetected until the final trial, "f" 

As the admission is entu^ely free, on a pleasant afternoon 
the lecture-room of a popular mstructor will be crowded to 
overflowing. Step with me, for instance, into the hall where 
Professor Manousis daily holds forth, and you will find it 
thronged not only with regular students, but with others who 
eagerly seize the opportunity to hear an entertaining discourse 

* The only recitation is one that is intended exclusively for those who 
expect to devote themselves to teaching. 

t See the preface to " Directions to the students of each School, re- 
specting the succession of the various sciences, and the preservation of 
Method and Order in the pursuit of the stvidies in the University" — a 
pamphlet published by the Prytanis in 1838, in order to diminish the 
danger of serious mistake. 



POPULAR EDUCATION. 85 

on Universal History. Here is the soldier, off duty, in his 
gay uniform, and by his side the parish priest wearing his long 
black gown and large cap. The youth on another bench, who 
is distinguished by his long hair, is a candidate for deacon's 
orders. Here and there, mingled with these, is a fair repre- 
sentation of the townspeople who have escaped from their 
day's toils, and drop in for an hour or two before returning 
home. If the discourse be consecrated to Chemistry, the 
crowd of auditors will be still greater — the aisles crowded, 
and several standing even upon the lecturer's platform. 

Connected with the University, there is on the hill of the 
Nymphs an excellent astronomical observatory, the munificent 
gift of a single wealthy Greek residmg in Austria — the Baron 
Simas — who gave not less than $50,000 to build and furnish 
it with suitable instruments. Among these the chief is a re- 
fracting telescope, magmfying about five hundred diameters. 
On a clear evening the observatory is a favorite resort of the 
Athenians of all classes. 

That an institution so well organized, presided over by men 
of the greatest distinction for talents and learning, and jesLrly 
attended by seven hundred and fifty youth, has been reared 
within the short space of twenty years, in spite of formidable 
obstacles from ignorance and prejudice, is a fact of which 
Greece may well be proud. But a yet higher claim to the 
respect of civilized Europe and America can be based on the 
completeness of her system of gratuitous and popular educa- 
tion, extending from the primary school to the very threshold 
of the University. It may be affirmed with confidence that 
none need be deprived of a respectable education, save in con- 
sequence of their own willfulness or want of industry. The 
whole area of Greece, containing, according to the official re- 
turns, 992,643 inhabitants, is divided into 272 demi, or town- 
ships. In these there were, in 1852, 325 common schools i^eg- 
ularly organized, with 29,229 children, and in 1853, about 
40,000. The studies are such as are most essential for the 
pursuits of ordinary life. It is not a little remarkable that 
over 4000 of these scholars are girls. Thu'ty years ago it 
was esteemed preposterous for a parent to teach his daughter 
any thing beyond reading and writing ; and such a thing as a 



8d STUDENT-LIFE IN ATHENS. 

school for girls was unheard of. Yet, at present, there is a 
sort of female college under the care of Madame Mano, where 
several hundred young ladies are educated : it occupies an 
imposing edifice recently erected by the contributions of many, 
and the liberality of a few wealthy citizens. Of the school in- 
stituted many years since by our countryman, the Rev. Dr. 
Hill, and his estimable lady, mention is made in another 
place. 

Next in rank above the common or demotic schools, are the 
Hellenic schools, eighty-five in number; and the six or seven 
gymnasia, corresponding to our grammar-schools, and, in part, 
to our colleges. Thence the transition is easy to the Univers- 
ity, where the professional studies are first undertaken. These 
seminaries of learning are frequented by about 10,000 stu- 
dents. 

Besides these institutions, there are a number of others 
more special in their character. The Rizarian School is a 
sort of theological seminary for the education of young men 
for the priesthood, founded by a wealthy Greek after whom it 
is named. Of the height of its standard in a literary point of 
view, I am unable to speak with certainty. It was brought 
prominently into notice during my stay in Athens by a rebell- 
ion of its sixty students. Their ostensible ground was the 
coarseness of the bread they were fed upon ; but it was stated 
in the journals that the true reason was the dissatisfaction of 
the bigoted students with the more liberal views and practice 
of one or two of their professors. It was only by the inter- 
vention of the police, and the capture of a few of their num- 
ber, that peace was restored among these bellicose theologians. 

There is a Military School at Athens, a Naval School at 
Syra, and an Agricultural School situated but a few rods from 
the ruins of ancient Tiryns, in Argolis. But the latter, though 
possessing, it is said, some fifty students, is generally consid- 
•ered a failure. Perhaps the most singular institution is the 
Polytechnic School, " where on feast days and Sundays the 
mechanics of the capital resort to be taught chemistry applied 
to the arts, drawing, etc."* 

* I am indebted for most of the statistical information respecting the 
schools of Greece, to a manuscript paper " On the State of Education 



PROSPECTS OF EDUCATION. 



87 



Such are a few of the data by which we may form an opin- 
ron of the present intellectual position of Greece. The sys- 
tem of education, though carefully planned on French, and es- 
pecially German models, is doubtless capable of considerable 
improvement ; but it is truly wonderful, considering the rapid- 
ity of its rise. In Athens alone there are five thousand souls, 
out of a population of about thirty thousand, engaged in study. 
Under such circumstances, no one can deny that the present 
condition of Greece is full of promise. Seed has been planted 
that must yield a plentiful harvest. Greece needs, however, 
a higher tone of morality, and a purer form of religion. This is 
the dark side of the picture. Would that clearer indications 
of a change so much to be desired could be presaged in the 
future. Then might we confidently abide the time, when, 
though insignificant in size beside the overgrovni states of mod- 
em Europe, Greece would wield an influence disproportioned 
to the extent of her territory or the number of her inhabitants. 

in Greece," procured from the Bureau of the Minister of Public In- 
struction, through my friend Mr. Pittakes. It has never been published, 
I understand. 




THE ACKOPOLIS EESTOEED. 




- — ^^^^ 

THE ACEOPOLIS, FKOM THE HILL OF THE MTTSBTTM. 



CHAPTER VII. 



MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 
A WEDDING IN THE UPPjeU CIRCLES. 

A MARRIAGE ceremonj at Athens is a celebration very differ- 
ent from one in the country. In the former we find exhibited 
somewhat of European civilization and cultivation ; while into 
the remote villages, the influence of foreign customs has not 
yet penetrated. There, people are married, as well as baptized 
and buried, according to the good old customs of their fathers. 
And yet, even in the city, so many characteristic peculiarities 
have been preserved, that they appear novel and interesting 
to a stranger. I was therefore greatly pleased upon receiving 
one day an invitation to the wedding of a young Greek couple, 
who were to be married a few evenings later. 

The rite takes place generally at the house of the bride- 
groom, though in some provinces the parish church is resorted 
to. But in this respect, as in most others, each petty district 
has its own customs, immutable as the laws of the Medes 
and Persians. "We went at an early hour to the scene of the 
evening's festivities. It was a mansion of the old style, built 
of stone and stucco, and facing upon one of the small streets 
that abound in the more ancient part of the town. A crowd 



A WEDDING l^AKTV. 89 

of the lower classes, who, though not among the invited, made 
bold to collect in force around the door, seemed to preclude our 
entrance. A small company at a drinking-shop some distance 
down the street were keeping up their spirits with frequent 
potations, and made merry with the music of a stringed in- 
strument, whose notes grated harshly upon our ears. This 
entertainment was every now and then interrupted by the jo- 
cose comments of the party iipon the appearance of the guests, 
as they successively came into the light cast by a flaming 
torch fastened near the door. When at length we had work- 
ed our way up the thronged staii's, we found that some sixty 
or eighty persons were already assembled in the moderately 
large parlor, which though it seemed rather bare of ornament 
and furniture to one who had come from the West, had some 
pretensions in common with the drawing-rooms of Paris and 
London. The assembled company, composed as usual of a 
much greater proportion of ladies than of gentlemen, were 
mostly dressed in the latest style of Paris fashions. Yet there 
was a sprinkling of gentlemen clad in the genuine Albanian 
dress, comprising your free-and-easy people who wish to pass 
for the more independent class of society, and scorn to adopt 
the perpetually changing mode. There were not wanting a 
considerable number of pretty faces among the ladies (who, 
according to the common practice, congregated on one side of 
the room) ; but it was a beauty that consisted rather in fresh- 
ness of color, and a good healthy look, than in delicacy of feat- 
ure. If, however, fame speaks truly, some of the color is 
borrowed, and the belle of the ball-room makes but a sorry 
figure the next morning. All the tight lacing in the world 
could not give an Athenian young lady the wasp-like contour 
which is the admiration of French dressmakers and misses in 
their teens. Disguise it as they may, there is a tendency to 
embonpoint among the ladies, many of whom waddle about 
with a grace which would seem charming in the eyes of our 
Dutch progenitors. The men, on the other hand, are a lean, 
lank race, whose dark complexions acquire an additional touch 
of ferocity from the formidable mustaches which, when theii- 
hands are not otherwise employed, they may be seen twirling 
bv the hour. 



90 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

The company were all assembled, and on the tip-toe of ex- 
pectation, when the bridegroom and the bride entered, and 
took their stand at the further extremity of the room. Each 
of them held a long, lighted waxen taper, and the groomsman 
and bridesmaid carried similar ones. The bride, arrayed in a 
white satin dress, covered with lace, and having for a head- 
dress a wreath of flowers, from behind which a long white veil 
hung down over her shoulders, looked charming — as what 
bride does not ? She bore the classic name of Athena. The 
bridegroom was dressed entirely in Frank costume. The 
priests came in at the same time with the couple — or, more 
properly, there were present at the beginning of the service 
two priests, with a deacon and a young man who read the 
responses, and who corresponded to the enfant de choeur of the 
Latin Church. 

There are two distinct services in the Greek Church per- 
taining to this ceremony; and the rite of marriage can not 
take place unless the parties have been previously betrothed. 
Sometimes, however, as in this instance, the one service takes 
place immediately before the other. The liturgy was read by 
one of the priests from an elegantly-bound service-book. In 
one part of the ceremony he stopped, and taking up a ring 
from the small table, on which were deposited the various 
utensils which the deacon had brought in, he thrice made the 
sign of the cross over the book. Then he touched it to the 
forehead of the bridegroom and to that of the bride. Last of 
all, he placed it successively upon the finger, first of one, and 
then of the other, after divers crossings performed in the air. 

When the parties were thus lawfully betrothed, there was 
a short pause ; and then the bishop, whom the relatives had 
invited to officiate, in order to give more brilliancy to the 
wedding, entered the room, and the priests hastened to do 
him homage. His ordinary episcopal costume consists of a 
black cloak and gown, and the clerical cap, over which a 
black veil hangs down behind as a distinguishing mark of his 
office. But on this occasion his head was covered with a 
crown, and he carried a heavy silver crozier, such as is only 
to be seen in the Grreek Church — Roman Catholic bishops 
rarely appearing in public with it. The handsome dresses of 



MARRIAGE CEREMONY. 91 

the priests added to the singularity of the scene. The bishop 
now took a principal part in the services, reading from a 
book of solid silver binding, which one of the priests held be- 
fore him. Whenever he found it necessary to lay aside his 
crozier, one of the attendant ecclesiastics took it, at the same 
time kissing his hand ; and when he resumed it, the same cer- 
emony was gone through, to the no small disgust of those of 
us who were not accustomed to such abject servility. The 
service was protracted, and we became rather weary of it ; for 
it was chiefly made up of prayers, hurried through, and of 
passages of Scripture, mumbled over in such a manner as to 
be quite unintelligible. Some portions of the written form 
are in themselves so utterly senseless, that no one can have 
the least idea of what they mean. 

The great and essential part of the rite was the crowning of 
the couple. The crowns were, in this case, merely wreaths of 
artificial flowers, numbers of which may be seen in the shops 
every day. The groomsman held one over the head of the 
bridegroom, and the bridesmaid held a similar one over the 
bride's head during the whole time, and they appeared quite 
fatigued before the end of the ceremony was reached. At 
last, the proper moment arriving, the bishop took one of the 
wreaths, touching it to the forehead of the bridegroom, and 
afterward to that of the bride, and made with it the sign of 
the cross between the couple. This he repeated three times, 
at the same time reciting the words that follow : *' Thou, the 
servant of the Lord, Gregory, art crowned (or married) to the 
servant of the Lord, Athena, in the name of the Father, and 
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." He then crowned the 
bridegroom with this wreath, and with the other performed 
the same ceremony in respect to the bride. Subsequently, the 
groomsman, who is usually the godfather, or nonnos of the 
bridegroom, and is expected to be hereditary sponsor, ex- 
changed the wreaths, and then replaced them on the heads 
of the couple. A cup was next handed by the bishop, first 
to the man, and then to the woman, and each of them drank 
a portion of the wine it contained. This very pleasing cere- 
mony was symbolic of the obligation that both parties assume 
to participate equally in all the pleasures and suflferings of 



92 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS- 

life, in its joys and its sorrows. I had heard it stated that a 
bitter ingredient is mingled with the wine; but those of 
whom I inquired assured me that nothing of the kind was 
customary. It was singular that so affecting an incident 
should be closely followed by another of a ludicrous char- 
acter. The bishop took the hand of the priest ; he, in turn, 
grasped that of the deacon ; and so Tvdth the married couple, 
the singers, and all, a string was made, which the chief ec- 
clesiastic led around the table in the centre of the room. 
The whole bore an amusing resemblance to some of the 
games that children play in America. With this the service 
ended, to the satisfaction of every one present. When the 
priests had retired, the company pressed around the bride- 
groom and bride to offer congratulations, some formal, and 
others affectionate. The guests remained but a few mo- 
ments more. A servant came, bringing in a large waiter 
covered with candies, and each was expected to help himself 
plentifully to them, as well as to carry some home. A few 
of those present seemed to measure their kind feelings to the 
couple by the quantity they heaped together ; and, judging by 
this criterion, their benevolent feelings were not small. Two 
or three drew out their handkerchiefs, and carried them away 
full. After this the company began to disperse, and we fol- 
lowed the general example. 

It struck me as a very singular feature, that during the en- 
tire service I had been listening to, not a single response was 
made by the couple, nor had the consent of the parties been 
expressed, or any promise exacted of them. In fact, the 
bridegroom may arrange the whole matter with the parents 
or guardians of the lady, without her knowledge, and even 
against her will. And let not any one suppose that such an 
arrangement, while sanctioned by law, never actually occurs 
in point of fact. We must assure him that such things do 
happen, and not unfrequently. A case of this kind was re- 
lated to me, as having taken place not long since at Smyrna ; 
and the story was romantic enough, in its details, to form the 
subject of a tale of no ordinary interest. A wealthy inhab- 
itant of that city, an old Greek subject, had an only daughter, 
named Theodosia. Her hand had been souoht, and her affec- 



COMPULSOKY MAKKIAQE. 93 

tions had been gained by a respectable young English resident 
of the place. But the father was too proud to let his daughter 
marry a foreigner, and a heretic besides ; and he commanded 
her to think no more of him. As an offset, he promised her 
in man-iage to a boorish Greek from the East. But the affec- 
tions, it is well known, are sometimes most unreasonably 
stubborn, and the young lady preferred an elopement. A 
rendezvous was fixed upon by the two lovers ; but unfortu- 
nately there was a misunderstanding as to the spot, and Theo- 
dosia, after waiting for hours at the place agreed upon, was 
finally discovered and brought back to her father's house. 
Threats, and even chastisement were employed, ineffectually, 
with the hope of gaining her consent to the match. Notwith- 
standing this persistency, a day was appointed for the nuptials, 
the priests were called in to perform the rite, and the young 
girl was brought into the room by main force. While the 
service was being read Theodosia fainted, and the priests stop- 
ped until she recovered her senses, when they proceeded, and 
she was wedded to a man whom she loathed. This compul- 
sion may appear the more remarkable from the fact, that at 
this time she was nineteen or twenty years of age. So in- 
auspicious a wedding was not likely to introduce a happy 
union. It was not very long before she was forced to be sep- 
arated from her husband, who treated her in a most cruel 
manner. Her father had been the strenuous advocate of the 
marriage ; but for a long time he found himself utterly unable 
to persuade her to leave the man whom he* had compelled her 
to wed.* 

MARRIAGE AMONG THE LOWER ORDERS. 

The customs that characterize a country are to be found in 
their purity chiefly in those remote portions where the man- 
ners of other nations have not as yet intruded. The increas- 
ing facilities of intercommunication, while they improve the 
condition of the poorer classes, so far as material interests are 
affected, destroy those striking contrasts 5i the mode of living 

* Such is the story as related by one who had been a neighbor and 
intimate acquaintance of the jsai-ties ; and it was confirmed by several 
esteemed Athenian friends. 



94 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

which excite the curiosity of the stranger. An American 
walking the streets of Athens, hears at every turn the cry of 
the peddler, who, under the name of "pania Americanica," 
hawks the fabrics of the Lowell mills ; and the Grecian 
mother finds it cheaper to clothe her daughters in these, than 
to occupy her leisure hours at the loom. 

In secluded vUlages the ceremony of marriage, which in the 
capital has become gradually assimilated to the stereotyped 
form of other countries, includes a number of curious rem- 
nants of ancient usages. Every petty hamlet, or at least 
every small district, possesses its own customs, which entire- 
ly regulate the performance of the ceremony, and which none 
even of the more polished citizens attempt to abrogate. It 
would, therefore, be quite a hopeless task to describe all the 
different modes ; and the customs that prevail in the province 
of Maina, at the southerly extremity of the country, may be 
taken as a fair specimen of the rest. The connection, long 
since projected, and fully discussed in family council on either 
side, has at length been approved, and the ^ time for its con- 
summation determined, by all the nearest relatives of the in- 
terested parties. Indeed, such a thing as a clandestine mar- 
riage, or one celebrated without the authorization of friends, 
is almost unheard of. Whoever should marry a young lady 
without first asking the consent of her relatives, would in 
Maina inevitably draw upon himself their fiercest animosity, 
and cause an irretrievable breach, sooner or later ending in 
revenge and bloodshed. We have heard the instance of one 
young man, who eloped with a girl of his acquaintance, 
and who, after forty years had passed, when surrounded by 
grown-up sons and daughters, fell a victim to the relentless 
hatred of those whom he had so long since offended.* 

The more important preparations for the wedding uniformly 
commence on Thursday evening. Toward dusk, the young 
men who have been invited bring the wood necessary for cook- 

* This incident is ei?fbodied in one of those pathetic moerologia, or 
laments, which are repeated over the tombs of the deceased. In this 
poetic history the leading events of the man's life are related with con- 
siderable detail. Some persons have acquired a singular reputation for 
their skill in composing them. 



PKEPARATIONS FOR A WEDDING. 95 

ing purposes ; while the young women meet to sift the coarse 
flour that is to be employed. On Friday, they again assemble 
to cleanse the wheat and to grind it in the hand-mill. The 
flour thus obtained is used that very evening, when the maid- 
ens gather round the kneading-trough to fashion several kinds 
of cake. One of the girls, who according to ancient custom 
must have both her parents living, begins the kneading; whiles 
the others, standing around, throw in various coins, and sing! 
ditties which are mostly quite unintelligible, but have been 
handed down traditionally from dame to daughter for genera- 
tions. The cakes made of this dough are sent to all the friends 
of the parties, as invitations to attend the wedding. Another 
large cake is prepared at the same time, to be cut on Sunday 
evening, at the house of the bridegroom, as a signal for the 
termination of the festivities. 

The bridegroom and his intended father-in-law each invite 
their friends to their houses. If they live in the same village, 
this is accomplished in person ; but if they live too far off, the 
invitation is equally well understood on the reception of the 
small cake, which in these hamlets takes the place of the gilt 
and crested envelope, and the "At home" card of our more 
refined countries. After its reception a person is in duty 
bound to go on the same day to the house to which he is bid- 
den, where a convivial party is thus assembled. Its occu- 
pation for the afternoon consists in cleansing, and sometimes 
grinding the wheat, though this latter operation is often de- 
ferred for a day or two. While they perform these offices of 
friendship, the company enliven their labors by singing va- 
rious songs, for the most part curious and characteristic, but 
few of which have ever yet been collected into a permanent 
form. 

The remainder of the week is spent in a quiet manner, and 
it is not until the ensuing Saturday that the same parties re- 
assemble, at the house of the bridegroom or bride, as the case 
may be, for no one is invited to both places. The bridegroom, 
who according to the custom of the district bears all the ex- 
penses, has agreed previously to provide a stipulated number 
of rams or sheep, which never number less than three, and 
rarely exceed a dozen. These he now sends to the house of 



96 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

his intended fatlier-in-law, and with them, three times as many 
loaves of bread as there are sheep, and three times as many 
oJces of wine* as there are loaves of bread. The men who 
are dispatched with these gifts — intended, of course, for 
immediate consumption — expect to be entertained and lodged 
at the house of the bride for the night. Such an addition to 
the domestic circle might terrify an American housekeeper ; 
but as beds are a commodity unknown or unused, so far as 
the greater part of the population are concerned, even a large 
number of guests can be easily accommodated. The Greek 
peasant, provided that he finds plenty to eat, and especially to 
drink, lays himself down in perfect contentment, wrapped up 
in his huge capote, or shaggy cloak, by the side of the fire, 
kindled on a stone hearth, in the middle of the room ; mean- 
while the family, perhaps, occupy a small inclosed space at 
one of the ends of the house, to which access is gained by a 
ladder of two or three steps. 

At about midnight another set of men are dispatched from 
the bridegroom's house. They carry a complete attire for the 
bride, who is dressed in it immediately. Then on Sunday 
morning, at about three or four o'clock, the bridegroom pro- 
ceeds thither in person, accompanied by a few of his more in- 
timate friends. And now the marriage ceremony, that is to 
say, the stephanoma, or crowning, takes place in the presence 
of all ; the parish priest, who has quitted his slumbers at this 
early hour, officiating. Upon the conclusion of the service 
the priest retires to his home, and so does the bridegroom, 
leaving the lady at her father's house. But at perhaps nine 
o'clock, in broad daylight, he proceeds on horseback, attended 
by all his friends, to claim and carry home his newly-married 
wife. On either hand walk two of his nearest female rela- 
tives, on his father's and mother's side. When the procession 
reaches the house, the bridegroom does not enter, but, accord- 
ing to custom, stops in some part of the court, while the guests 
of the bride's father come severally to greet him. First his 
mother-in-law embraces him, at the same time placing about 
his neck a handkerchief, as a gift. All the women follow her 

* Wine and oil are in Greece measured by weight, and an olce is 
nearly equal to three pounds of our standard. 



3MUPTIAL GIFTS. 97 

example, and place a similar present on his shoulders, so that 
before they get through he finds himself loaded down with a 
pile of handkerchiefs. These, of course, he does not wish to 
keep, and within a few days disposes of, without compunc- 
tion, by sale. As the custom is universal in that region, the 
matter is merely one of exchange, for each receives in the 
end about as much as he gives. And now the bridegroom 
and his friends may enter the house, where they are gener- 
ously entertained, and for a while conviviality reigns. 

But this must end. The father takes his daughter, and^ 
committing her to the husband's care, gives him such advice 
and exhortation as he may think proper. Then, leading them 
both into the court, he makes them tread on some firm stone 
— a ceremony which, if it has any meaning at all, as, with 
regard to many of these more trifling particulars, seems rather 
improbable, is intended to convey the idea of the unanimity 
that should exist between them.* The parents now take 
leave of their daughter, and the friends accompany the new- 
ly-married couple to their home. The guests of the bride- 
groom as they go, divert themselves with songs of little poet- 
ical merit, indeed, but lively enough, in which they represent 
themselves as having "robbed a neighborhood, and spoiled a 
country, to carry off the bride whose praises thousands sing." 
This nettles the friends of the bride's father, who retort upon 
them by wishing that "the bride may shine upon them like 
the sun, or like the moon ; that she may trample them under 
foot like the earth, and be in no way dependent on them for 
any thing." 

The same ceremony that took place at the dwelling of the 
father-in-law is now repeated at that of the bridegroom ; and 
the bride is not allowed to enter her new home before her hus- 
band's friends have all pressed around her to load her with 
presents, which consist of various little commodities, or of 

* Strange to say, a custom very similar prevails among the Hindoos. 
" A stone being placed before her (the bride), she, with her hands joined 
in a hollow form, was made to tread upon it with the toes of her right 
foot dviring this address of the bridegroom : ' Ascend this stone — be firm 
like this stone — distress my foe, and be not subservient to my enemy.' " 
— India and the Hindoos^ hy F. de W. Ward, p. 248. 

E 



98 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

money. All the assembled company then follow the couple 
into the house, where, after a few unimportant forms, they 
sit down to a collation, with which the entire ceremonial 
comes to an end. 

Those acquainted with the customs of the ancient Greeks 
will scarcely fail to remark the very striking points of resem- 
blance presented by these observances. The wedding, the 
bridal procession, the songs of the friends, and many of the 
inferior details preserve a similarity truly wonderful, when 
we take into consideration the varied circumstances, and the 
long space of time that has intervened. The fact must, how- 
ever, be borne in mind, that the habits of the people in vari- 
ous districts are so extremely diverse, that the description of 
those which prevail in one place will by no means convey a 
correct idea of those of a village only a few miles distant. 

A GREEK BAPTISM. 

One of the tenants of a friend was about to have his child 
baptized, and we were included among those invited to wit- 
ness the ceremony. The small cottage, which stood with its 
end to the street, was entered from the court on its side, and 
here a part of the family, in then' gala dress, were awaiting 
the arrival of the priest who was to officiate. There is a 
large fund of kindness in the Greek heart, even among the 
poorest ; and the inmates of the cottage received us with 
pleasure, and exerted themselves to the utmost to entertain 
us. The priest kept us waiting for him. When he came, I 
found that he was an acquaintance, and officiated in the 
neighboring church of St. Nicholas Rangaves, whose shrill 
little bell, ringing to call the people to their devotions, used 
to break in upon my morning slumbers. A good heart beats 
beneath that coarse black cloak, and a ruddy face beams with 
good-nature from under the priestly cap ; but a plentiful use 
of the snuff-box does not improve its appearance as to clean- 
liness. 

A large brass vessel, two feet in diameter, was brought in 
by a young man, and placed in the centre of the room, and 
several bucketfuls of warm and cold water were poured in 
until the temperature was judged to be suitable. But before 



TRINE IlVrMERSION. 99 

the water was fit to be used, another operation was neces- 
sary ; for the presence of any evil spirits or magic in the wa- 
ter would infallibly impair, if not destroy, the effect of the 
ordinance. If any such beings or influences lay concealed, 
they were surely dispelled by the manipulations of the priest, 
who, baring his arm, three times drew it through the water, 
making the sign of the cross. And if this had been ineffect- 
ual, they could scarcely remain after he had blown upon the 
surface, making on it the same sacred sign. The water being 
thus consecrated, the child was brought in, neatly dressed in 
white, and presented by its godfather for baptism. And now 
it was stripped of every article of clothing, and taken by the 
priest, who held it up before the whole company, in order, I 
presume, that all might be witnesses to the act. A small 
bottle of oil was taken, and with its contents the infant's en- 
tire body was rubbed. This is not considered part of the re- 
ligious rite, but is merely intended to prevent any injurious 
effects of the application of cold water to its body at so ten- 
der an age, as is customary among the Greeks. And the pre- 
caution, if it be of any avail, is certainly needed. The com- 
mon people consider the performance of the ceremony al- 
most, if not quite, a sine qua non of salvation, believing fully 
in its regenerating hifluence. So, the more delicate the 
babe's constitution, the more anxious are the parents to have 
the rite performed as early as possible. Notwithstanding 
all their precautions, however, I have heard that great num- 
bers of infants die yearly m consequence of the shock they 
receive. 

The act of baptism itself consisted in three times entirely 
immersing the child. The priest managed this very adroitly, 
and prevented its strangling by covering its mouth and entire 
face with one of his hands. After this was done (the name 
being given at the same time), the priest returned the crying 
and shivering baby into the hands of the godfather and the 
others who stood by, who immediately wiped and dressed it. 
The baptism is completed by the application of a little of the 
" holy unguent" to the baby's forehead, ears, hands, and feet. 
This "holy unguent" is, or was until lately, compounded only 
by the Patriarch at Constantinople, and dispensed once a year 



100 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

to all the cnurches.* The child was now taken away, and 
the godfather distributed to each of the persons present a 
small, bright, silver coin, with the date of the current year, 
and a ribbon passed through a hole in it. The person who 
receives this piece of money is bound to keep it safely, that 
it may remind him of his having witnessed the baptism of 
that child. And this testimony he is expected to render, 
if necessary, before men, and also before the angels at the 
judgment day. The glittering coin that lies on the table be- 
fore me as I write these lines, its neat knot of blue ribbon 
tied to it, recalls the image of that little departed innocent, 
who no longer needs here on earth a witness to its christening. 
The godfather bears all the contingent expenses, which 
were in this case but small, though sometimes they amount 
to a considerable sum. Hence, it is esteemed quite a mark 
of friendship to be willing to stand sponsor for a neighbor's 
child. But the most important consideration, by far, is that 
the connection thus formed is no less binding than a natural 
relationship, and forever precludes all intermarriage between 
those who become so related to each other, to the same extent 
as with members of the same stock — that is, according to 
Greek law, as far as the ninth degree, I believe. 

FUNERAL PROCESSIONS AND OFFERINGS TO THE DEAD. 

Look with' me for a moment at the procession which is 
slowly passing, on its way to the cemetery beyond the Ilissus. 

During the summer months, while the fever is making its 
fearful ravages on the population of this unhealthy city,! 
many such may be counted every day. 

* It has been the policy of the Patriarch and the "Holy Synod" to 
attach the Greeks to the "Mother Church" by making them dependent 
in this manner for the articles necessary for the celebration of the ordi- 
nances of religion. 

t With a population of about 27,000 souls, Athens, in 1851, had 1105 
deaths ; while the births, according to the same official reports, were 
only 526. Evidently the population of Athens at this rate would soon 
become extinct, were it not for the great influx of strangers. It is stated 
that the previous year there were as many as 1400 deaths. The greater 
part of these Avere undoubtedly from Greek fever. It is a fact worthy 
of note, that of the 526 children born in 1851, only ten were illegitimate. 
The same year there were 122 marriages. — ^on, Jan. 30, 1852. 



OFFERINGS TO THE DEAD. 101 

The melancholy nasal chant of the priests as they come 
along, betokens the approach of the train, and as it draws 
nearer, the litanies they recite become distinguishable. The 
corpse of the deceased is borne in a light wooden box or coffin ; 
and the body, decorated with flowers, and clothed in white, is 
exposed to the gaze of all : for the lid has been removed, and 
is carried by a man or boy at head of the train. This lid has 
invariably a large cross painted upon it. As it approaches 
every by-stander reverently raises his hat, and stands uncovered 
until it has passed ; but this mark of respect is paid not to 
the departed, but to the sign of the cross, as my Greek friends 
assure me. It must be confessed, there is something rather 
repulsive in this parading of death through the thronged streets 
of a city, especially when its subject has been chosen from 
among the aged, or bears the marks of great and recent suffer- 
ing. Such is the manner in which the common people are 
borne to their last resting-place : but the death of a bishop 
occasions much more display of pomp. He is carried through 
the most public thoroughfares, dressed as in the discharge of 
his ecclesiastical functions, and placed in a sitting posture 
upon the bier. The place of burial being reached, he is in- 
terred in the same position, a distinction allowed to no one 
else. 

The interest entertained by survivors for the memory and 
the souls of the dead, is evinced by the prayers that are said 
in their behalf, although the Greeks do not profess to believe 
in the existence of a purgatory. A singular practice calls up 
their remembrance yet more vividly. Several successive Fri- 
days are set apart as especially devoted to the dead. The bell 
of the little church of Saint Nicholas Rangaves, situated at the 
very base of the Acropolis, attracted my attention on one of 
these occasions. Upon entering the church — a small edifice, 
scarce exceeding in size an ordinary room — I found a few per- 
sons waiting for the commencement of the services ; the men 
and boys standing near the altar, while the women, as usual, 
remained somewhat farther off. Ever and anon some person 
would come in, carrying a small dish covered with a napkin, 
and after devoutly crossing himself, placed the dish upon the 
floor in front of the screen of the hieron, or holy place. These 



102 MODERN GREEK CUSTOMS. 

plates contained a peculiar sort of cake, which is called Collyva. 
It is, in fact, an offering made to the manes of the dead, and 
can certainly claim a pagan rather than a Christian origin. 
It is carefully made, the principal ingredients being boiled 
wheat and currants. The surface of the top is ornamented 
with various degrees of neatness, by means of the eatable red 
grains of the pomegranate, or almonds, or any thing of the 
kind. These cakes were sent by the relatives of those who had 
died within a year or two, and if handsome were allowed to 
remain before the chancel. If more commonly prepared, the 
contents were thrown together into a basket. In every plate 
oi collyva, and in every basket, were stuck a number of little 
lighted waxen tapers, which burned during the service. 

The notion of the common people respecting this usage was 
expressed to me by a person whom I asked to explain its pur- 
port. " The soul of the deceased," said he, " for whom the 
collyva is offered, comes down during the service, and eats a 
single grain of the wheat." But what manner of good this 
could do the disembodied spirit he was not able to explain; 
nor did he give me any satisfactory reason for offering so large 
a quantity, when the spirit is so moderate in its desires. The 
parish priest during the short service I attended took notice 
of the names of all those for whom collyva had been offered. 
At the conclusion he helped himself to his share of the cakes, 
after the spirits had enjoyed an ample opportunity of eating to 
their hearts' content. The rest was distributed by handfuls 
to every person present, to be carried away and eaten at home 
— a feast for the dead. 





VIEW OF ATHENS. 



CHAPTER Vin. 



THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GEEECE. 

The arrival of tlie American frigate Cumberland in the 
harbor of Piraeus, followed shortly by the steamship San 
Jacinto, produced some commotion in the city of Athens. 
An intervention on the part of the United States in behalf of 
Dr. King had been threatened, but was not generally expected. 
No American vessel of war had done more than touch at 
Piraeus for a number of years past ; and multitudes had never 
even seen one of our frigates. The unusual circumstance was, 
therefore, set down at once as having some connection with 
the trial and imprisonment of the only representative of the 
United States within the boundaries of the kingdom. 

The Hon. Mr. Marsh, American Minister to Constantinople, 
having been commissioned to investigate the heavy charges of 



104 THE COURT AND POLITICS OP GREECE. 

injustice preferred against the courts of law by the joint testi- 
mony of all the Americans residing at Athens, was a pas- 
senger on board the San Jacinto. Though not accredited to 
the Court of Athens at this time, his official character ren- 
dered it imperatively necessary that there should be a formal 
presentation to the queen, who was regent during the tempo- 
rary absence of King Otho in Germany. To arrange the pre- 
liminaries, Dr. King and myself called on Mr. Colocotroni, 
the master of ceremonies {aularches), whom we found living in 
very simple style, in the northern quarter of the town. He 
was a middle aged man, of slender form, and pleasing address. 
The interview was a short one, and we left, Mr. Colocotroni 
promising to send early notice of the time when it would suit 
the queen's convenience to receive the American Minister and 
officers. 

Meanwhile an amusing incident occurred at Piraeus. A 
young American lieutenant had long been desirous of procur- 
ing a block of genuine Pentelican marble, to serve as a pedes- 
•tal for the bust of his father-in-law, a warm admirer of Greece. 
In the garden of a friend in Athens, he found a piece that 
exactly suited his purpose. The owner cheerfully presented 
him with it, and had it neatly inclosed in a box. One even- 
ing, after a call in the city, the officer placed it in his carriage 
and rode down to Piraeus, expecting to find one of the ship's 
boats in waiting. It was late, however, and none were to be 
found ; but there were other boats at hand, and he deposited 
himself and his prize in one of these. On reaching the frigate 
he stepped on board, telling the boatmen to bring his box on 
deck. Instead of doing so, they demanded an exorbitant fare ; 
and when he refused to pay it, quietly shoved off, and put 
back to shore. The lieutenant, who was on deck and un- 
armed, was unable to stop the rogues ; and retired to his 
state-room for the night, as may be imagined, considerably 
vexed at the occurrence. Early the next morning, application 
was made for the arrest of the dishonest boatmen. They were 
readily identified, and in their house was found the box, which 
they had conveyed thither with no little trouble, and had 
broken open to discover its contents. They had evidently 
been deceived by its great weight ; and doubtless their chagrin 



PRESENTATION AT COURT. 105 

was considerable, when instead of a small treasure in gold or 
silver, they found inside nothing but a worthless block of stone. 

But for an unlucky discovery, the box would now have been 
restored to its owner. The marble had once been embedded 
in some church or chapel, as was manifest from a large 
Byzantine cross rudely carved on one face. The custom- 
house officers declared that this cross was old, and that the 
stone came under the category of antiquities, whose exporta- 
tion is prohibited by law. There was no use in arguing the 
matter with them. The only resource was to send up to the 
city for Mr. Pittakes, the General Superintendent of Antiqui- 
ties ; who, on his arrival, laughed at the simplicity of the 
officials, and readily granted permission to export that block, 
and as many more such as could be procured. 

On the day appointed by the queen, we rode to the palace, 
and were ushered into the waiting-chamber, upon the second 
story near the northeastern corner. Here we were met by 
Mr. Colocotroni, who was introduced to Mr. Marsh, Commo- 
dore Stringham, and fourteen other officers. Having been 
desired by Mr. M. to assist him in the translation of the vari- 
ous Greek documents relating to Dr. King's case, it was 
thought proper by Mr. Colocotroni, that I should be pre- 
sented at the same time; which would otherwise have been 
out of order. The usual routine of commonplace remarks 
having been gone through on either side, Mr. Colocotroni 
seated himself by my side, and inquired privately respecting 
the rank and names of the several officers ; for the purpose, 
as T afterward learned, of informing the queen on the subject, 
and furnishing her with appropriate staple of remark. He 
then retired ; and after a brief interval returned and ushered 
us into the adjoining presentation-room. 

Queen Amelia was standing near the centre of the room, 
which, though on no great scale of magnificence, was hand- 
somely decorated and furnished. She was attired very 
tastefully : her dress was not remarkable for costliness ; and 
she wore but little jewelry. Her height is good ; and though 
well-formed, she is rather disposed to be fleshy. By most 
persons she is considered handsome. She is certainly better- 
looking than most of the crowned heads of Europe, At the 

E 2 



106 THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

age of thirty-two or three she had, however, naturally lost 
much of her former beauty. A few paces behind the queen 
was the grande maitresse, Madame Pulsky, who during the 
entire ceremony of presentation stood in the same spot, im- 
movable as a statue. 

On entering the room each individual bowed profoundly, 
and then all ranged themselves in the form of a crescent, oc- 
cupying positions corresponding to their official rank. Mr. 
Colocotroni first presented Mr. Marsh ; and the queen having 
advanced, stood for some five or ten minutes engaged in con- 
versation with him. Then Mr. Marsh accompanied her along 
the line, introducing each one in succession. To the superior 
officers a few questions were addressed, which had to be in- 
terpreted to those who were so unfortunate as not to know a 
single word of French — the language that the queen had 
chosen to make use of The junior officers were, for the most 
part, honored with but a single interrogatory; and that re- 
lated to their own department of naval service. The cap- 
tain of the marines, for instance, was merely asked how 
many men he commanded, or some other similarly trivial 
question. 

I have no doubt all were equally delighted when the awk- 
ward ceremony was dispatched, and a bow from the queen 
announced that we were at liberty to retire from the royal 
presence. If our entrance had been punctilious, our departure 
was still more so ; and we literally bowed ourselves out of the 
room ; for it would have been a gross violation of all courtly 
etiquette to turn our backs upon the queen. Although the 
retrograde motion was neither convenient nor graceful, we 
made good our retreat to the door. Most of the party seemed 
much pleased with the result of the interview, the conse- 
quence of which was an invitation sent to the American Min- 
ister, Commodore, and Captains, to dine at the palace on a 
specified day. Strange to say, only IMr. Marsh and one of 
the captains were forthcoming ; the attractions of royalty not 
being sufficiently powerful to induce the Commodore to post- 
pone his departure for Constantinople, where the presence of 
an American frigate was imperatively demanded to protect 
our citizens. 



KING OTHU. 107 

The king enjoys a ftir smaller share of personal popularity 
than Queen Amelia. Nor has it been on the increase of late 
years. Chosen by the three powers of England, France, and 
Kussia, formerly in alliance to form a protectorate of Greece, 
he was elevated to the throne while a mere youth, after the as- 
sassination of the " Governor," Count Capo d'Istrias. The 
crown had previously been offered to the young Leopold, now 
King of Belgium ; who was unwilling to accept it, unless cer- 
tain of the hearty good- will of the people. Well would it have 
been for Greece had she been so fortunate as to receive such a 
ruler ! Otho was the son of Louis, late King of Bavaria, and 
a younger brother of the present occupant of the throne. He 
was, consequently, educated a strict Roman Catholic, and en- 
tirely under the influence of the priesthood. From the date 
of his arrival in Greece until the first of June, 1835, his twen- 
tieth birth-day, the government was administered by a Ger- 
man Regency, whose conduct has been regarded in a very dif- 
ferent light by those w^ho have viewed it from opposite sides. 
The first' eight years of King Otho's reign were a continuation 
of the same line of policy with that previously pursued. With- 
in eighteen naonths after his accession, he gained the hand of 
the princess Amelia, of Oldenburg, who was some four years 
younger than himself, and a Protestant in point of religion. 
The Regency had filled most of the posts of honor and emolu- 
ment with their own countrymen. Under the young monarch 
there was a German ministry : German generals commanded 
troops, many of whom were themselves Germans : and not a 
few professors in the university were of foreign birth. 

The fact that both king and queen were strangers, as well 
in faith as in nationality, to the great mass of their subjects, 
was never palatable to the Greeks, who regard their religion as 
a precious heir-loom, and as the bond of union in the Hellenic 
state. But it was quite insupportable to the poor but proud 
revolutionary soldiers and klefts, to see a horde of foreigners 
reaping the rewards of their toils, and occupying the situations 
to which they considered themselves entitled. A constitution, 
too, had been promised from time to time ; but it was a mere 
promise. The monarchy was in fact autocratic : the king's 
edict having the full force of law. 



108 THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

At length the people grew tired of waiting for the change 
that was to put an end to the disorders complained of. On 
one of the first days of September, 1843, a crowd gathered in 
front of the palace, gradually increasing by fresh arrivals from 
town and country, till the spacious square was one dense mass 
of human beings, all loudly demanding a constitution. It 
was now no time for delay, and promises could no longer 
avail. The troops themselves had caught the general enthu- 
siasm, and siding with the citizens, were loudest in their vo- 
ciferations. Cannon were even pointed at the palace, and 
Callerges, who sat on one of them, threatened to fire, if, at 
the expiration of a few hours, the king still refused to satisfy 
the popular desire. Otho was disposed to be obstinate. No- 
thing was farther from his wishes, than to be trammeled by a 
constitution, and to share his legislative functions with the 
representatives of the nation. His wife, though no less at- 
tached than himself to unlimited power, grasped the full con- 
sequences of resistance ; and is said to have begged him with 
tears to bend, rather than break, before the approachiug storm. 
Perceiving that the people were in no mood to be trifled with, 
Otho reluctantly yielded. The 3d of September (old style) is 
annually kept as a festival to commemorate the auspicious 
event. A representation of the people was at once called to 
draft a proper constitution; which, on the 18th of the next 
March, was solemnly sworn to by the king, in the presence 
of all the officers of the government. 

In accordance with this instrument,* the legislative powers 
are vested in a Congress composed of two bodies, the Senate 
(gerousia), and the House of Representatives (boule). The 
former, which is intended to be the conservative branch, 
should be composed of not less then twenty-seven members, 
nor of more than one half the number of representatives in 
the other House, save with its own consent. The senators 
are chosen for life by the king ; but the classes of individuals 

* A Greek work entitled " Hippodamus ; Principles of Constitutional 
Law, or the Greek Constitution Annotated, by N, Pappadoukas, " con- 
tains a lucid and able commentary. The true author is reported to be 
the well-known Demetrius Kyriakou, some time Minister of Justice, one 
of the best lawvers of Athens. 



CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS. 109 

from which they may be selected, are carefully enumerated. 
They are chiefly those who commanded the armies in the 
gi'eat revolutionary struggle, or have occupied high stations 
of honor and trust in the civil, judicial, and military depart- 
ments for a specified period, varying from four to ten years.* 
The senator must be at least forty years of age. The other 
House is composed of the representatives of the people, one be- 
ing elected for about ten thousand inhabitants. Their num- 
ber can not be less than eighty. No male citizen above twenty- 
five years, with the exception of the clergy, is debarred from the 
right of voting ; but none are eligible to office until they are 
thirty years old. The members of both houses are remunerated 
for their services, the senators receiving $83, and the represent- 
atives $43 per month, during the session. The intrusion of 
foreigners into office is effectually precluded by the provisions 
of the constitution, which expressly declare that no foreign 
army shall be allowed to pass through, or be maintained in 
Greece, unless permission be specially granted by law. To 
obviate future inconvenience from the anomaly of a king 
professing a religion different from that of the great mass of 
the inhabitants, the successor to the throne must embrace the 
Greek religion. The crowns of Greece and Bavaria, it is 
farther stipulated, shall never be united on the same head. 
The king's annual stipend is fixed by law at one million 
drachms ($166,000). 

Such are some of the most important provisions of the Con- 
stitution, inaugurating a government theoretically perhaps the 
most liberal in Europe. All citizens are equal in the eye of 
the law ; for the creation of titles of nobility is expressly for- 
bidden, and there is no room for an hereditary aristocracy. 
And though the prevailing or established religion is declared 
to be the " Orthodox Oriental Church of Christ," yet one of 
the chief excellences of the Constitution is its liberality to- 
ward other creeds. "Every known religion is tolerated, and 
its worship conducted without hindrance under the protection 
of the law, proselytism and every other encroachment upon 
the dominant religion being forbidden." "Every one may 
publish his opinions orally, in writing, and by the press, ob- 
* See Article 72 of the Constitution, 



110 THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

serving the laws of the State."* How these principles have 
been violated in Dr. King's condemnation I shall elsewhere 
narrate. Meanwhile, the checks upon the power of the 
crown are apparently as great as are compatible with the ex- 
istence of the regal system. The budget is, of course, submit- 
ted by the ministry to the chambers. As the latter alone have 
the right to provide the revenue necessary for carrying on 
the government, by authorizing the levy of taxes and the' col- 
lection of duties, the entu^e control of the Executive is appar- 
ently intrusted to their hands. The ministers are made per- 
sonally responsible for their actions; and all members of the 
royal family are excluded from the cabinet, in order that they 
may not be liable to impeachment. 

In practice, however, the throne may be said, under the 
present administration, to be almost unrestrained by the pop- 
ular element in the accomplishment of the measures it has 
determined upon. It is notorious that the government of 
Otho is generally unpopular throughout the land, and yet it 
constantly succeeds in securing a majority in the chambers 
sufficient to attain its ends. The representatives are, it is 
true, chosen by the people at large, but the government is 
rarely at a loss for means to obtain a favorable result. Un- 
der the pretext of allowing the greatest freedom for voters, the 
election is made by ballot ; but during the eight days of the 
election the ballot-boxes are left in the keeping of an election- 
committee. | In some cases the boxes are known to have con- 
tained a number of votes larger than the entire number of regis- 
tered voters in the district. During the election, as well as 
before, the greatest exertions are made by all the government 
officers, in conjunction with the friends of the candidates, to 
influence the people to vote for those who are known to be 
most favorable to the measures of the kmg. But even in the 
House of Representatives there can not exist for any great 
length of time a numerous and determined opposition. Every 
method — bribes, offers of promotion, and of the patronage of 
friends, are employed, and most of those elected are soon in- 
duced to yield support to the government. 

* Articles 1 and 10. 

t Act to regulate the Election of Eenresentatives, tit. 3, arts. 18, 22. 



A POLITICAL MEASURE. Ill 

An instance of the determination of the ministry to carry- 
its plans at any cost was seen in the passage of a certain law 
in the summer of 1851. Its object was the creation of a large 
number of epJiori, or officers for the collection of the revenue. 
Its introduction was the signal for opposition from those who 
were not attached to the courtly party, and saw no necessity 
for so considerable an increase of the places in the gift of the 
throne. It passed the Lower House, however ; but on being 
brought up in the Senate, although the king had, in anticipa- 
tion, created three or four new members, that body refused to 
concur in the proposed act. Thereupon the king prorogued 
both Houses for the space of some forty days. In the mean 
while ten or more additional senators were appointed, for the 
most part from the officers of the king's own household, or 
from the ministry, and all of them persons devoted to himself. 
The party thus reinforced was now enabled to reconsider the 
bill in the Senate, and it was passed in accordance with the 
desires of the ministry. In this manner, and by means of the 
most flagrant corruption, the throne is usually able to control 
with ease the deliberations of the legislative bodies. And 
this is much facilitated by the Constitution, which, although 
it declares that representatives cease to be such the moment 
they accept any post under the government, yet permits ex- 
ecutive officers to be elected representatives.* Thus it hap- 
pens that many military officers are at the same time mem- 
bers of one of the legislative bodies, where, as they retain 
their commissions merely during the sovereign's pleasure, they 
constitute the warmest adherents of the crown. A remarka- 
ble clause is, however, inserted in the Constitution, providing 
that in such a case the individual is not entitled to the emol- 
uments of both offices, but only to those of the more lucrative 
of the two. "I" 

In respect to foreign relations, the politicians of Greece may 
be divided into three parties — the E-ussian or Napist, the En- 
glish, and the French : a result which the acute mind of Co- 
ray long since foresaw and deplored. For it was not, he ar- 
gued, until Greece was divided into the Macedonian and anti- 
Macedonian parties that Philip found an entering wedge for 
* Article 64. f Article 68. 



112 THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

his ambition. The Russian party is undoubtedly the most 
numerous and influential. It stands forth the advocate of a 
close political and religious connection with Russia. Hence, 
almost the entire clergy are, from policy or conviction, among 
its adherents. Ambition to restore a Greek empire embracing 
all who profess the Greek creed and speak the Greek language, 
is its animating principle. Despairing of success in this vast 
undertaking with their own unaided resources, the Napists 
cast about them for some more powerful ally. France and 
England are unfortunately too much interested in the main- 
tenance of the balance of power, to offer any hope of assist- 
ance, or even of countenance. - The same policy that excluded 
from the map of the new state of Greece one half of the terri- 
tory that had asserted and upheld its independence, restoring 
it once more to the Sublime Porte, would never help to weak- 
en and destroy the Ottoman Empire. On the other hand, a 
community of religion naturally draws the Greeks to look to 
the great Russian empire for means to realize their ambitious 
projects. Some are simple enough to imagine that, after con- 
quering Constantinople at his own expense, the Czar will be 
so generous as to make it over without equivalent to his 
friends the Greeks. While others assert that he will annex 
Asia Minor to the kingdom of Greece, and set one of his 
younger sons over the united empire. 

The English and French parties are the advocates of dem- 
ocratic principles. To them belong the most liberal and in- 
telligent statesmen, the Tricoupis, the Mavrocordatos, and, in 
general, the men of the largest patriotism. But they are in 
a minority, and their influence can scarcely be a positive one 
for good. They rather counteract the iU-advised measures of 
the dominant politicians. 

Th^ king, for his part, identifies himself with none of these 
sections, and strives, as far as possible, to employ them all as 
tools for the furtherance of his plans. The court is given to gay- 
ety and pleasure, and the revenue, which should be expended 
for the benefit of the nation, is lavished on balls and entertain- 
ments. The queen, Amelia, has the reputation of being the 
best rider and dancer at Athens. Her passion for the latter 
accomplishment is such, that whoever can dance well is a wel- 



BAD STATE OF ROADS. 113 

come guest at the public balls, and can readily secure her as a 
partner. 

Meanwhile, the country is suffering for the want of atten- 
tion paid by the government to the improvement of its natu- 
ral resources. Probably the greatest obstacle to the prosper- 
ity of Greece is to be found in the difficulty of the interchange 
of commodities. No country in the world stands in more 
pressing need of good roads : in none are they more difficult 
of construction. Successive ranges of mountains, with their 
branching spurs, divide the cultivable ground into a thousand 
small valleys, each deprived of easy communication with its 
neighbors. From one township to the next nothing can be 
transported but by the horses and mules accustomed to climb 
the rugged mountain-paths, and tread firmly on the ladder-like 
ascents. The only carriage-roads in Greece are a few short 
ones about Athens, one, twelve or fifteen miles long, near La- 
mia, and others at Corinth, Chalcis, and a few other large 
towns. The ordinary mode of transportation is so expensive 
that it can not be much employed, nor is it available for any 
but the most valuable products. In this way it happens that 
Greece is often compelled to import wheat for its sea-board 
towns, whereas, at the distance of but a day's journey inland, 
there is, or might be produced enough to furnish an ample 
supply. With a revenue of twenty-one or two millions of 
drachms (^^3,500,000), obtained from its million subjects, the 
government is unable, or unwilling, to expend even a million 
annually upon the most indispensable improvements. The 
demi, or towns, on the other hand, are too poor, too ignorant, 
or can not sufficiently combine their efforts to construct and 
maintain good roads. 

Yet while such have been the shortcomings of the govern- 
ment, there are other respects in which it is entitled to the 
highest commendation. It can not be denied that it has sue- 
ceeded in destroying many relics of a darker age. In Maina, 
particularly, it has broken up the tyrannical and lawless clans, 
whose perpetual wranglings and hereditary animosities among 
themselves, made the entire district the scene of oft-recurring 
deeds of bloodshed. To appreciate the value of the change, one 
should hear some of the sanguinary recitals that are yet cur- 



114 THE COURT AND POLITICS OF GREECE. 

rent among the people. The klefU^ or mountain robbers, 
from whose depredations no village was safe, have now been 
mostly brought to justice, or expelled. For years none have 
been heard of in Peloponnesus. The few that remain infest the 
mountains forming the boundary line of Turkey, or the sparsely 
inhabited districts of Acamania and^tolia. It is true that 
in reaching this end much needless suffering has been inflict- 
ed, by the rapacity and oppression of the soldiers and petty 
officers quartered upon the villages in the vicinity of the rob- 
bers; but this was to be expected, and it has been merely 
temporary in its duration. By far the greatest eulogium, 
however, that can with truth be conferred on the government 
of King Otho, is that it has spared no expense or efforts to dif- 
fuse education and intelligence among the people. Henceforth 
no one need remain in ignorance except from his own choice. 
To the diligent a free course of instruction is offered, extend- 
ing from the primary school to the university. The present 
system of education promises to make Greece one of the most 
intelligent and well-informed nations of Europe ; and the light 
of literature and science is again commencing to dawn upon 
its ancient seat of Athens. 

Toward religion the government assumes rather an attitude 
of unconcern than of partiality. The king and queen have 
respectively their Roman Catholic and Protestant chaplains ; 
but otherwise they appear quite indifferent to the subject. 
It is more to please the bigotry of the priesthood, than to 
gratify any preferences of their own, that any infringements 
upon the freedom of religious worship have been countenanced. 




A GREEK CHUKCH. 



CHAPTEE IX. 



THE GREEK CHURCH. 

A ciECTJMSTANCE that adds to the interest and importance 
of the consideration of the religious state of Grreece, is the in- 
timate connection which the prevalent faith has ever sustain- 
ed with the national fortunes. To one even who should feel 
no concern in a subject most vital to the welfare of individuals, 
the consequence of its political bearings would commend it for 
careful scrutiny. There are few facts in history more striking 
than the tenacity with which the Eastern Churches have clung 
to their religious belief, through ages beset with temptations 
and perils : when they were exposed, not only to the seduc- 
tive influences of power and wealth, but, at times also, to more 
open trials, under the form of political disfranchisement and 
persecution. This steadfast adherence to their ancient tenets 
it was, that alone preserved the nationality of the Greeks, dur- 
ing theu' subjection to the Mussulman power ; this it was that 
rendered the resuscitation of their separate existence possible. 
It is even now the sole connecting link between the Hellenic 
kingdom and the provinces that are yet enslaved. 

The Greek denomination, comprising a vast majority of the 
inhabitants of the Russian Empire, in addition to seven or 
eight millions in the Turkish dominions, embraces, probably, 



116 THE GEEEK CHURCH. 

between sixty and seventy millions of souls. Compared, how- 
ever, with the body of Protestants, whose numbers are but 
little superior, the Greek Church can scarcely be said to ex- 
ert a sensible influence upon the intellect of the world. It is 
but just awaking from that lethargy in which the East has 
for centuries been plunged. It produces no theologians of any 
note, and it has made no contributions to current literature. 
The clergy, instead of being, as in the West, among the best- 
informed members of the community, have sunk to the com- 
mon level ; or, often, seem to be the enemies of learning and 
intelligence. It is this that adds so much to the singularity 
of the fact, that, tried by the test of purity of doctrine, the 
Greek Church is so far superior to the Roman Catholic. 

In many respects the two Churches closely resemble each 
other; and in none more than in their hierarchical systems. 
Yet even here there are striking points of contrast, which 
point out the Oriental as by far the less corrupt. It has never 
allowed an ecclesiastical authority to arrogate supreme do- 
minion in the Church. The four Archbishops of Constanti- 
nople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, have, it is true, 
obtained, under the title of Patriarchs, an acknowledged as- 
cendency over the other bishops and archbishops. But the 
ground of this pre-eminence, as stated in the acts of Councils, 
is merely the existence of the custom of attributing to the 
prelates of those cities a great degree of honor- Consequently 
they have never claimed a more direct apostolic succession, 
an absolute power, or infallibility. The Patriarch, by his 
own confession, is simply a superior bishop, basing his pre- 
tensions, at farthest, upon the decrees of the Councils. 

Until 1821, the Church of Greece retained a close connec- 
tion with the " Holy Synod" of Constantinople. When, how- 
ever, the Revolutionary Wa^ broke out, the Patriarch, who 
was suspected — no doubt with justice — of friendliness to the 
cause of freedom, fell a victim to the jealousy of the Porte ; 
and another, a mere creature of the government, was in- 
stalled in his place. The clergy of Greece, under the guid- 
ance of Germanos, Bishop of Patras, had taken a prominent 
part in the revolt. To reduce them to submission, the spirit- 
ual influence of the Patriarch was invoked. After having 



SEPARATION FROM THE PATRIARCH. 117 

fulminated, near the commencement of the conflict, an edict 
of excommunication against all the belligerent Greeks, the 
Patriarch and his Synod, on the 20th of February (March 3d, 
N. S.), 1828, issued a second letter, addressed to "all Chris- 
tians inhabiting Peloponnesus and the ^gean Sea." In this 
remarkable production they are reminded of " the submission 
and fidelity they owe to the lawful Ottoman Empire watched 
over hy God;'"' and are warned not to lose precious moments 
in deceitful procrastination. They are allured by the prospect 
of a speedy restoration to the spiritual graces in the gift of the 
Church. "But if," it is added in conclusion, "we should 
again meet — which God forbid ! — with stubbornness and dis- 
obedience, arising from the delusive ideas that lead you astray 
— the ax is laid at the root of the tree. See you to that /"* 

A document of such a tenor, and issued at so inauspicious 
a juncture — -when the exertions of seven years of continual 
warfare had been crowned with success for the Greek arms, 
in the decisive victory of Navarino — was not calculated, as 
may be imagined, to heal the breach. This injudicious meas- 
ure too clearly proved, what had long been asserted — that the 
Patriarchate was but a tool in the hands of the Sultan. Ev- 
ery link that connected the Church in Greece to that in Turkey 
was sundered ; and the former remained independent, though 
lying under interdict, until the year 1850. By the second 
article of the Constitution of 1843, now in force, it is ex- 
pressly declared that "the Orthodox Church of Greece, ac- 
knowledging our Lord Jesus Christ as its head, is indivisibly 
united to the Great Church of Constantinople, and every other 
Church of Christ that holds the same faith ; adhering, pre- 
cisely as they do, to the holy canons of the apostles and coun- 
cils, and to the holy traditions : yet it is independent, exer- 
cising its sovereign functions free from the control of any other 
Church." 

Notwithstanding this declaration, the difficulties of the po- 
sition of the Greek Church were felt in so lively a manner, 
that no new bishoprics were erected, and the vacancies cre- 
ated by the death of the incumbents were not filled. At 

* The letter was republished in the form of a small pamphlet, at the 
office of the Euterpe^ a literary periodical ; Athens, 1852. 



118 THE GREEK CHURCH. 

length the necessity of giving some more definite shape to the 
ecclesiastical affairs of the state, had become so evident, that 
the Ministry resolved to send a commission to the Church of 
Constantinople, with letters from the government and from 
the Synod of Greece, requesting them to " approve their ec- 
clesiastical constitution ; and, recognizing the Synod of the 
kingdom of Greece erected in accordance with it, to receive it 
as a sister-church holding the same doctrines, and equal in 
honor ;" and to announce it as such to the other three Pa- 
triarchates. 

The reply received to these letters was a master-piece of 
cunning. It was styled The Synodical Tome, and the Russian 
party in the state not only el:tolled it to the skies, but advo- 
cated its immediate ratification and adoption as an organic 
law of the realm. Such must have been the inevitable result, 
had not an antagonist appeared in the author of an anonymous 
work upon the subject, who was soon known to be the theolo- 
gian Theophilus Pharmakides, a distinguished professor in the 
university. He stigmatized the entire movement as one 
which, if consummated, would lead to the virtual surrender 
of the established polity. The Patriarchal letter, instead of 
recognizing the Hellenic Church as already independent, pro- 
ceeded, on certain conditions, to decree it such. This implied 
the right to revoke the privileges that were granted, if the 
terms of the contract should not be observed. The conditions 
were the following : The establishment of a perpetual Synod 
of bishops, to be the highest authority in matters of religion, 
and to exercise its functions independent of secular interfer- 
ence ; the insertion of petitions for the Patriarch and his ad- 
visers m the public services ; the procuring of the " Holy 
Myron," or anointing oil used after baptism, directly from 
Constantinople ; the consultation of the Great Church on all 
important matters needing reflection. On these and other 
equally humiliating conditions, the Patriarch was pleased to 
remove the sentence of excommunication, and recognize the 
validity of the ordination of the Greek clergy.* 

* The Tome^ and all tlie documents relating to the discussion, may be 
found in the work of Professor Pharmakides, entitled The Synodical 
Tome, or Of Truth: Athens, 1852, 



THE SYNODICAL TOBIE. 119 

It was too evident that the Tome was but a fresh attempt 
to foist upon the Greeks the yoke of their ancient masters ; 
and, when its impudent design was thus clearly exposed, no 
alternative remained but to reject it altogether. The only 
visible result it produced, was to awaken the jealousy of the 
nation, and call attention to many points in ecclesiastical his- 
tory, of which the multitude had hitherto been entirely igno- 
rant. How the Church insensibly passed from a democratic, 
representative form -of government, to an arrogant oligarchy 
under the sway of the bishops and patriarchs, was fully dis- 
cussed by Professor Pharmakides. 

By a law framed in 1852, the ecclesiastical polity of the 
kingdom has been completely remodeled. It increased the 
episcopal sees to twenty-four — a large number, assuredly, for 
a population of scarce a million souls.* To each of these is 
annexed a salary payable by the government, and varying 
from seven hundred to a thousand dollars. The Bishop of 
Attica was, at the same time, promoted to be Metropolitan of 
Athens. Measures were at once taken to fill as many of the 
vacant episcopal chairs as possible. In order to allay the 
vexation naturally entertained by the Patriarch and his Syn- 
od, in consequence of the indignity offered to them in the 
rejection of the "Tome," a special messenger was dispatched 
by the king, with full power to confer on the mortified ecclesi- 
astics as many decorations of the honorary Greek " Order of 
the Saviour" as might be found necessary; besides covering 
the insult with a profusion of empty compliments. 

The differences between the Latin and Greek Churches, 
as already stated, are no less marked than their points of 
resemblance. It Is not my intention to enter with minute- 
ness upon a subject so strictly theological. It is rather my 

* The Holy Synod of Greece was to be composed of one metropolitan, 
of Athens, the capital of the nome of Attica, and of Greece ; ten arch- 
bishops, nine of them taking their titles from the capitals of the other 
nine nomes into which the kingdom is divided ; the tenth from Corinth, 
"which, though not the capital of a nome, on account of the antiquity 
of the church founded there by Paul," is raised to the dignity of an 
archbishopric ; and thirteen bishops complete the list of the hierarchy. 
The Synod nominates three candidates to fill every vacancy, and the 
king selects one from this number. — 'E^rjfieplc rov Aaov, July 2, 1852. 



120 THE GREEK CHUKCH. 

aim to convey a general idea, that shall at the same time be 
a correct one, of the present attitude which the " Orthodox" 
Church, as it styles itself, assumes in relation to the great 
religious movements of the day. A fact lying on the surface 
is, that its doctrinal perversions, unlike those of its Latin 
sister, have never become part of a deliberately-formed system, 
ratified by successive generations, and codified, as it were, by 
a Council like that of Trent. Nor have its pretensions reached 
so daring a point. Its degeneracy arises rather from the 
ignorance of the Middle Ages than from a willful perversion of 
truth. It acknowledges but seven general Councils, whose 
authority is binding on Christians, the last in a. d. 786 being 
that which condemned the doctrines of the Iconoclasts. Yet, 
by the high esteem in which tradition is held, the multiplica- 
tion of feast-days and of superstitious practices, the complica- 
tion of the ritual, and a few cardinal errors of doctrine, a 
state of things has been induced, little superior to that existing 
in the West. On the other hand, the Greeks have never ad- 
mitted the claims of the Pope to be the Vicar of God on earth. 
This, indeed, was the primary cause of the schism between the 
two Churches ; the occasion was the insertion of the words 
Jtlioque in the Nicene creed. The doctrine of the existence of 
a purgatory has never been admitted ; although, practically, 
by offering prayers for the dead, such a notion is sanctioned. 
The Apocrypha has never been received into the canon of 
Scripture, " though containing many praiseworthy moral pas- 
sages." Still, many intelligent men would be quite at a loss 
to discriminate between the books which their own fathers 
pronounce canonical, and those that are not. It ought also 
to be said, to the praise of the Eastern Church, that the read- 
ing of the Scriptures by the common people has never been 
forbidden by the Church ; however individuals among the 
clergy may have endeavored, sometimes by open, and more 
frequently by secret opposition, to repress it. 

The Catechism of Plato, Archbishop of Moscow, translated 
by Coray, and approved by the Holy Synod and the Minister 
of Public Instruction, is, I believe, required to be taught in all 
the higher schools of the kingdom. It is, therefore, a fair ex- 
ponent of the doctrines of the Greek Church ; while its com- 



THE CATECHISM OF PLATO. 121 

pleteness and orderly arrangement would entitle it, under any 
circumstances, to a careful perusal.* The Orthodox Chris- 
tian, according to this catechism, recognizes Christ as sole 
Head of the Church, the clergy being shepherds of his flock ; 
the bishops as first, and the priests as second in rank. The 
Church can follow no leader but Christ. The " power of the 
keys" committed to the Church, is the authority to reprove or 
exclude from its communion the unworthy participant. The 
Sacraments of the New Testament are seven : baptism, the 
Lord's Supper, chrism, confession, orders, marriage, and the 
anointing of the sick ; but of these, the first two are superior 
m importance, and the last three are not binding on all Chris- 
tians. The doctrines of baptismal regeneration, and the real 
presence in the Eucharist, are clearly set forth. The import- 
ance of the traditions and customs of the Fathers is insisted 
on, as an essential part of Christian doctrine and worship. 
The invocation of saints is defended, upon the usual grounds, 
against the imputation of violating the first commandment of 
the Decalogue. In the explanation of the second, the Greek 
Church discriminates between the graven image and the pic- 
ture of a saint, declaring the former alone to be reprehensible. 
Yet it condemns as idolatrous " those that consider one picture 
more holy than another; that expect more benefit from one 
than from another ; that bring into the Church a picture and 
will worship no other; that honor the picture with costly 
ornaments, more than that which is without, or the old one 
more than the new ; or that are unwilling to worship in a 
place where there are no images." 

To a Protestant there is, perhaps, no part of the Greek sys- 

* The Catechism of Plato, translated from the German by the able 
hand of Coray, is a compend of Theology, rather than an elementary 
treatise, as its name would give us to expect. It is a volume of about 
140 pages in 8vo. The first part, treating of Natural Theology, enters 
with detail into the examination of the proofs of God's existence, the 
nature and attributes of God, the natural estate of man, and his con- 
scious ill-desert. The second and main division sets forth the Evangel- 
ical Faith, that is, Eevealed Religion, with the exception of the Law of 
God, which forms the subject of the third part. The discussion of the 
particular doctrines is mostly full and satisfactory, while the notes of 
the translator are characterized by an evangelical spirit. 

F 



122 THE GREEK CHURCH. 

tern more shocking than the worship of the Virgin Mary, as it 
exists, and as it is countenanced by the standards now in use. 
To say that many of the common peasants are unable to 
make that distinction which the Church pretends to enjoin, 
and from mere veneration easily step over into the domain of 
a most culpable religious worship — is stating a fact which no 
intelligent eye-witness of their devotions can find reason to 
deny. It may not be so generally known that the prayer- 
books in common use, even more than the public service, 
abound with passages well calculated to mislead the worship- 
per, and induce him to look to the blessed Virgin for assist- 
ance which God alone can grant.* 

* A single example of such a prayer may not be altogether out of 
place ; and its completeness and elegance must atone for its length. It 
will be noticed that the several parts — adoration, confession, and suppli- 
cation — are clearly marked and impressively conveyed. Yet so strong 
are the ascriptions of divine attributes, that were the prayer addressed 
to the Deity, no expression would be found inconsistent with His char- 
acter. I translate from the Hiera Synopsis, a small volume of prayers 
intended for the use of private Christians (p. 44). 

" JL Prayer to the Most Holy Mother of God. 

"O spotless, undefiled, uncorrupted, uncontaminated, pure Virgin, 
Queen, the Bride of God ! Who didst unite God the Word to men, by 
thy wonderful conception ; and join the alienated nature of our race to 
heavenly things. The only hope of the despairing, and help of them 
that be warred against ; the ready defence of those that fly unto thee, 
and the refuge of all Christians. Do not abhor me a sinner and ac- 
cursed ; who, by base thoughts, words, and deeds, have rendered myself 
utterly vile. . . . But, as Mother of the compassionate God, kindly pity 
me a sinner and prodigal, and receive my prayer offered to thee by my 
polluted lips. And do thou, making use of thy motherly liberty, impor- 
tune thy Son, and our Lord and Master, to open to me, too, the kind 
bowels of his goodness, and, passing by my numberless offences, turn 
me to repentance, and make me a tried doer of his precepts. And be 
present unto me alway merciful, compassionate, and good: both in 
this life as a warm protectress and helper, warding off the assaults of 
them that be against me, and leading me unto salvation; and in the 
time of my departure, caring for my miserable soul, and driving far 
from it dark visions of evil spirits. And in the fearful day of judgment, 
deliver me from everlasting punishment, and make me an heir of the 
unspeakable glory of thy Son and our God. Which may I attain unto, 
my Queen, all Holy Mother of God, through thy mediation and inter- 
cession ; by the gi-ace and compassion of thy only-begotten Son, our 
Lord, God, and Saviour," etc. 



THE PARISH PKIEST. 123 

The condition of the clergy is an important topic for consid- 
eration. Like most other topics, to a general view it has a dark 
as well as a bright side. The priest, or 2)(ipas, it is true, has not 
necessarily sundered, by a prescribed celibacy, all the ties that 
serve to unite him, m sympathy and affection, with his spirit- 
ual flock. In fact, many of the parish priests are married 
men ; nor is tliis circumstance considered in the least discredit- 
able. There is, how&ver, this restriction: the aspirant for 
orders must marry, if at all, before becoming a deacon ; and 
so it happens that while a priest may be a married man, yet 
a priest is prohibited from marrying. 

Although the priest's tenure of office does not depend, as 
has been asserted, at least in Greece, upon the life of his wife, 
he can not marry a second time without forfeiting his priestly 
character. Happily, neither law nor public opinion place any 
obstacles in the way of his retiring. There are not a few 
curates who have renounced their sacerdotal functions from 
this cause ; while a much larger number who took up arms m 
the Revolutionary War, and imbrued their hands in blood, are 
on that account incapacitated from officiating. 

The ignorance and degradation of the clergy forms the 
gloomier aspect of the picture. Springing fi'om the lowest 
class of society, they are notoriously illiterate and immoral. 
So deeply rooted has the notion of their debasement become in 
the popular mind, that when a boy is unruly, and his parents 
have failed in persuading him to learn some honest trade, they 
frequently consider the Church their last and only resource. 
This idea is embodied in a current proverb, which may be 
rendered in English by the couplet, 

"Vicious and ignorant, gluttonous beast, 
Nothing remains but to make him a priest." 
But when the fact is known, that until lately there has 
been no provision for their education, beyond schools where 
they might learn to read and write, such a state of things 
will scarcely excite surprise. It is even asserted that a few 
ecclesiastics may still be found, unable to read their service, 
and consequently relying either upon their own memory or 
upon the assistance of others. I have myself met with several 
who gloried in the scantiness of the opportunities for instruc- 



124 THE GREEK CHUKCH. 

tion enjoyed by their order, asserting that a more liberal edu- 
cation had the effect of making atheists of the youth. Unfor- 
tunately this is not far from being the case in Greece. I have 
known several deacons and others in the University that were 
skeptics even as to the truth of religion, and would gladly cut 
oif their long hair,* and lay aside their sacerdotal robes, could 
they be sure of gaining a livelihood by some other profession 
than that they had embraced. The monks are even more 
ignorant and degraded, while they display an inveterate hos- 
tility to every measure tending to enlighten and elevate the 
people. 

Corruption is, unhappily, equally common in Church and 
State. It is notorious that no one can obtain the appoint- 
ment of Greek Consul for the more frequented ports — such as 
Trieste, Marseilles, or Odessa — without jSrst obtaining the in- 
fluence and support of some important man near the king's 
person, by means of a costly present. A similar practice holds 
good with respect to the ordination of priests. So flagrant is 
this system of bribery in every department of the Church, that 
in a" letter-writer" published at Athens, not many years ago^ 
and now lying before me, a number of forms are given for 
such occasions as the following. In one, the writer beseeches 
a bishop not to grant a divorce in the case of his daughter, 
and accompanies his petition with a present of 5000 piastres 
— a little more than $200. Another is an application to a 
prelate for a dispensation to permit a man to marry a third time. 
It will be remembered that a third marriage is an abomina- 
tion in the eyes of the Greeks, and is considered criminal un- 
less the previous permission of the Patriarch be obtained. 
The applicant states that the prelate's agent, to whom he had 
addressed himself, had demanded the sum of three thousand 
piastres ; and he therefore begs not to be compelled to pay 
any thing more than that which is customary. The charac- 
ter of the transaction is more frequently veiled under the ap- 
pearance of a gift. The Patriarch of Jerusalem grants ple- 
nary pardon to all that devoutly visit the Holy Places : but 
the pilgrim must first gratify his avarice by a present of some 

* Letting tlie hair grow long is considered indispensable to the exer- 
cise of any of tlie priestly functions. 



ECCLESIASTICAL PARTIES. 125 

two- hundi-ed dollars* Having satisfied his conscience at so 
cheap a price, the Hadgi, as he is now called, returns to his 
own country, with a store of acquired righteousness so ample, 
as to be quite sufficient, both in his own estimation and in 
that of his neighbors, to cover all his future sins. He rarely 
fails to make large drafts on this imaginary deposit. "As bad 
as a Hadgi^' has become a proverbial expression to denote the 
most abandoned of characters. 

On similar grounds, all who contribute twenty-five piastres 
to the treasury of the mkacle- working church of the Evangel- 
ista at Tenos, have their names inscribed in a particular book^ 
and receive the bishlop's special benediction. The beatitude 
has been reversed, so as to become, " Blessed are the rich." 

The Greek clergy may, like the laity, be divided into two 
parties, differing not on doctrinal points, but in their tenden- 
cies. The first is the Russian, or JVapist, party — embracing 
by far the larger portion of the clergy — desirous of more inti- 
mate connection with Russia, in both Church and State. Op- 
posed to liberal sentiments, jealous of religious liberty, and of 
English and French influence, it includes not only the few ad- 
mirers of Russian despotism, but the more numerous class of 
those that hope, through the agency of Russian arms, to ob- 
tain Constantinople, and set up a new Greek empire. The 
other and less powerful party, on the other hand, expects 
more permanent advantage from the influence of Western let- 
ters, than from Oriental power. Here are' found the friends 
of religious liberty — though opposed to proselytism — the pa- 
trons of education, the more consistent and strenuous enemies 
of every form of tyranny. 

It requires no very great amount of penetration to discover, 
that one formidable obstacle to the success of missionary en- 
terprises in Greece is the political ambition of the people. 
With the mass even of intelligent men, the contemplation of 
the future prospects of their country excludes from their minds 
all consideration of religion as a personal concern. To em- 
brace a purer type of Christianity seems to them, not only to 
be forsaking the religion of their forefathers, but to be severing 

* A translation of the certificate given to pilgrims was publisiied a 
few years since in the 3Iissionary Herald. 



126 THE GREEK CHURCH. 

every tie that binds together the scattered members of the 
Hellenic race. "It will be time enough to consider the truth 
or falsity of our tenets," is a common remark, "when Con- 
stantinople has fallen into our hands." Meanwhile they are 
ready to regard every one that endeavors to disturb their ec- 
clesiastical unity, as conspiring against the high and manifest 
destiny of Greece. 

Three distinct missionary enterprises, undertaken by Evan- 
gelical Christians of America, have been prosecuted for a num- 
ber of years. The earliest is that commenced about the year 
1828 by Eev. Jonas King, D.D., under the auspices of the 
American Board. Shortly after. Rev. J. H. Hill, D.D., w^as 
sent out by the Protestant Episcopal Board. And the Baptist 
Missionary Union has until lately been represented on Greek 
soil by Rev. Messrs. Buel and Arnold — the latter having been 
for some years previous stationed on the island of Corfu. 

Dr. King's labors were at first directed to the establishment 
of schools for the education of boys chiefly. But the American 
Board having deemed it inexpedient to continue the large ap- 
propriations requisite for prosecuting this enterprise, it became 
necessary to abandon it. As far as respects the mere intel- 
lectual education of boys, the necessity of private schools has 
been removed by the establishment of an extensive system of 
popular education, including higher seminaries of learning and 
a noble university. During the last few years. Dr. King has 
devoted himself to preaching and publishing useful religious 
books and tracts.* 

Dr. Hill has long superintended a large female school, at one 
time containing several hundred girls, belonging to families 
that occupy the highest social position. Many of his former 
pupils are already exerting an extended, and, it is hoped, a 
very healthful influence in society. Mr. Buel — after having 
in vain attempted to establish schools at Piraeus, in which the 

* I am happy to learn that, since I left Greece, Dr. King has gathered 
a number of pious youth, chiefly, if not wholly, Greeks from Turkey, 
and has begun to give them systematic instruction in Theology. There 
are already ten of these students, and there is a prospect of farther ac- 
cessions. These are the men, we trust, that are to become instruments 
of great good, in the reformation of the nineteenth century, among the 
Eastern Christian Churches. 



HOPEFUL INDICATIONS. ^ 127 

Gospel might be taught without the introduction of the Greek 
Catechism, as prescribed by the government — now devotes 
himself (as did also JNIr. Arnold, at Athens) to a work similar 
to that of Dr. King. Of the Rev. Mr. Hildner's schools at 
Syra, I shall speak in another connection. 

It can not be denied that Greece has hitherto proved a diffi- 
cult field of labor. To those that look for immediate results, 
and estimate success only by the abundance of present fruit, 
the seed may seem to have fallen upon a barren soil. But 
there are those who can not persuade themselves that more 
than a quarter of a century of incessant toils has been thrown 
away ; that the multitudes that have heard the gospel preached 
in its purity will retain none of its elevating principles ; that 
the child, who gained his first lessons of knowledge in an 
American school, has not been permanently benefited ; above 
all, that thousands of copies of the Scriptures, scattered broad- 
cast over the land, can fail, sooner or later, to be a potent ele- 
ment in the forces that shall bring about the reformation of 
the Greek Church. To such the progress of education and 
enlightenment, and the advance toward complete religious lib- 
erty, constitute a favorable omen of the approach of the time 
when the results of so much toil shall become manifest to all. 




TEMPLE OE THESEUS AT ATHENS. 



CHAPTER X. 



CHUECH FESTIVALS AT ATHENS. 

The shops throughout Athens were kept closed all day on 
Good Friday. Their exterior was decorated with a profu- 
sion of waxen tapers, combined in a variety of ways, and giv- 
ing them an appearance of considerable liveliness. At a num- 
ber of stalls temporarily erected in the street of JEolus, crowds 
of citizens were seen providing themselves with torches — al- 
most the only article exposed for sale — in anticipation of the 
great season of rejoicing so soon to succeed. Passing by this 
busy scene I walked on to the Church of St. Irene — the most 
important in the city as long as the Cathedral remains un- 
finished. 

Last night, being *' Great Thursday," as the Greeks call it, 
there was a service said in the various churches of the city 
lasting several hours. What are called the " Twelve Gospels" 
— that is, twelve selections of Scripture relating to the Pas- 
sion of our Lord — were read at that time. During the pro- 
tracted reading, or at its close, an image representing the 
blessed Saviour on the cross, was brought out by the priests, 
and laid in the midst of the church. It has been customary 
to produce, at the same time, an effigy of the apostate Judas, 



GOOD FKlbAY AT ST. IRENE' S. 129 

and to burn it in public. This immemorial practice has, 
however, of late years been abandoned, and is now prohibited 
by the government, in consequence, I understand, of the ani- 
mosity that such a sight naturally revived in the breasts of 
the uneducated classes against the Israelitish population. 
The last outbreak of this feeling took place on the 4th of 
April, 1847, when a bigoted mob attacked the house of 
Mr. Pacifico, an unofiending Jewish resident. The doors were 
burst open ; various members of his family were insulted or 
maltreated ; while the more cunning took advantage of the 
opportunity to appropriate all that they could lay hands on. 
Happily for Mr. Pacifico, he was a British subject ; and, since 
he found it impossible to obtain redress for his injuries, be- 
cause of the inefficiency or partiality of the courts of justice, 
he appealed to his own government. It was only after a de- 
lay of three years, and the blockade of the port of Piraeus by 
an English fleet, that the dreek ministry could be induced to 
pay the required indemnity. 

There was no extraordinary service to-day at St. Irene's ; 
but the image of our Lord was still lying in state beneath a 
rich canopy directly under the dome. An image, or ikon, in 
the Greek sense of the word, is nothing more than a simple 
painting ; for, in the ecclesiastical works, a distinction is 
made, as we have stated, between images and statues : the 
worship of the latter being considered idolatrous, while the 
reverence given to the former is regarded as not only allow- 
able, but even praiseworthy. The more devout, who seemed 
to consist chiefly of women and children, came in from time 
to time to say their prayers, and kiss the hands and feet of the 
image. An attendant sat near by at a table. As each wor- 
shipper was about to leave the church, he placed a piece or^ 
two of silver upon the waiter, or one of the holy discs, for the 
benefit of the church. In return he received a blessing, and 
a flower was handed to him from a pile that was doubtless 
consecrated. 

In the evening I went again to St. Irene's, to hear the 
" Epitaphion," a sort of funeral service, in which every cir- 
cumstance is carefully adapted to express sorrow and mourn- 
ing, in commemoration of the burial of our Saviour. The 

F 2 



130 CHURCH FESTIVALS AT ATHENS. 

ceremonies in the church being ended, a procession formed. 
Standing in the street at a distance, its coming was announced 
by the glare of a thousand torches borne by the throng that 
accompanied the funeral pageant. As it drew nearer I could 
catch more distinctly the mournful tones of the priests, as with 
measured chant they carried on a bier the image that I had 
seen in the church itself. It was preceded by a great wooden 
cross, before which the spectators crossed themselves repeat- 
edly and bowed profoundly. The bier was followed by a num- 
ber of distinguished persons, among whom was Mr. Paicos, 
Minister of Foreign Affairs, with other members of the govern- 
ment. Last year the ministers carried the pall. The convoy 
was accompanied by a military band, with muffled drums, play- 
ing a dead march, and followed by a large crowd, whose torches 
threw a dazzling brilliancy on every object as they passed. 

Still more characteristic and impressive was the procession 
from a smaller church, which I met a few minutes later not 
far from the same spot. Without a band, or the presence of 
men of distinction, it advanced amidst a host of flitting lights. 
Instead of musicians it was preceded by a hundred or more 
children and youth, continually shouting rather than chant- 
ing that solemn petition so frequently occurring in their 
litany: '-^ Kyrie eleyson?^ — "Lord have mercy!" But though 
there was a certain earnestness of manner, it was too evident 
that few in their boisterous shouts remembered the full im- 
port of the cry. Next came the priests, repeating portions 
of the service, and carrying, instead of the picture of Christ, 
a genuine coffin, covered with a black pall. Whenever the 
procession approached a church it paused, and did not pro- 
ceed till a certain number of prayers were repeated. 

Saturday is observed as a day of mourning rather than of 
festivity; but toward night the churches are crowded with 
worshippers. At about ten in the evening I took my station 
on a balcony opposite St. Irene's, to which I had been kindly 
invited by the occupants of the apartments. Until near 
midnight the time passed in agreeable conversation with our 
Greek host and hostess, and those of their acquaintance that 
had been invited to attend. A few minutes before twelve 
the king and queen, with their suite, drove up, and, preceded 



EASTER DAWN. 131 

by the Bishop of Attica, ascended the platform erected in the 
centre of the square in front of the church. While they stood 
there facing the people, I could not but think of the feelings 
that must fill their breasts : the one as a Roman Catholic, 
probably abhorring the rites of an inimical faith ; the other 
as a Protestant, grieved, if she reflected at all on the subject, 
at the superstitious observances in which she was compelled 
to act a studied part. For a quarter or half an hour the 
priests chanted the " Anastasis," a service commemorative of 
the resurrection of our Lord ; but owing to the absurd prac- 
tice of ringing the church bells incessantly, nothing could be 
understood. The number of tapers carried by the crowd be- 
ing much greater, the effect was still more brilliant and pleas- 
ing than on Good Friday. This service was then transferred 
to the interior of St. Irene's, where it lasted a while longer. 

To me the most interesting part of the occasion was at 
the conclusion of the exercises. Easter was now regarded 
as actually begun, commemorating the Saviour's resurrec- 
tion. Each, as if animated by the joyful thought, turned to 
his neighbor, and kissing him, exclaimed, " Christos aneste'^ — 
"Christ is risen!" To which the other in turn respond- 
ed : '^Alethos aneste" — " He is risen indeed !" The salutation 
was first given by the ministers of state to each other, and 
from them it spread to the rest of the assembly. For weeks 
after I occasionally saw the same thing repeated ; but it was 
only between acquaintances, when they met for the first time 
since Easter. Usage is said to limit the employment of this 
mode of address to the space of forty days. 

After the termination of these ceremonies, all is mirth. 
The bells from all parts of the city send forth a joyful peal. 
Generally the Easter festivities have been accompanied by 
fi:equent discharges of fire-arms, after the manner of our 
"Fourth of July;" but this year the practice has been for- 
bidden, and the prohibition strictly enforced. Various have 
been the surmises respecting the cause of this sudden rigor. 
The ostensible reason is the numerous accidents that have 
resulted from the use of balls. More probably the govern- 
ment feared lest the occasion should be seized by the discon- 
tented to make a revolution, or an attempt to assassinate the 



132 CHURCH FESTIVALS AT ATHENS.. 

king. For months previous rumors had been circulated of an 
intention to overthrow the constitution of September, 1843 ; 
as was first alleged, by the king a la Napoleon III., afterward 
by the people, or by some ambitious demagogues. An investi- 
gation was at this time in progress, conducted by committees 
of the Legislature. The whole matter seemed to be very much 
involved in obscurity. 

A second service on Easter Sunday concluded the festivities 
of the Holy Week at Athens. It is styled the second Anasta- 
sis, and is chiefly remarkable for the recital of the gospel of the 
day in as many languages as the clergy can muster. It is 
currently reported that they "cram" for the occasion with 
whole pages of languages of which they do not understand a 
single word — a very natural result, since quantity, not quali- 
ty, is the requisite for the occasion. 

At the conclusion of Lent, whose fast has been kept with a 
strictness for which no parallel can be found in Western Eu- 
rope, the rejoicings of the people are the greater, in proportion 
to their protracted abstinence. The fare of the peasant on 
Easter-day is the best of the whole year. There is no family 
so poor that, on this day at least, it does not have for dinner an 
entire lamb, roasted on the coals. Then the following Tues- 
day is kept as a general holiday. All business is suspended, 
and almost the entire population resorts to the fields about the 
Temple of Theseus, and the hills of Mars and the Nymphs, to 
join in dances, or to witness them. It is no exaggeration to 
say that on the occasion when I was present, there were thou- 
sands of men, women, and children assembled, all in their best 
attire. It was curious to notice the animated scene, so close 
upon the most venerable monument of Athenian art. 

The Romaic dance, which can here be seen to great advant- 
age, is quite peculiar to Greece. The dancers, who are always 
of the same sex, rarely number less than twenty or thirty. 
Having selected a leader, they form a sort of train, always 
preserving somewhat of a circular position, and often clinging 
to each other by means of a handkerchief passed around their 
neighbor's waist. Within this partial circle sits sometimes 
one musician, but oftener two or three. One plays discord- 
antly on the pipe ; a second laboriously endeavors to extract 



BLESSING THE SEA. 1^33 

harmonious tones from an instrument not very much unlike a 
banjo; while a thii'd, at measured intervals, thumps with a 
large stick upon a cracked drum. The music, however, seems 
to be of secondary importance. The motions of the dancers 
are slow and dignified, partaking of the nature of pantomime, 
■in which the chief abject of each is to reproduce the action and 
gestures of the leader. But at times the action becomes more 
violent, varying with the nature of the subject of song, and 
the temperament of the leader. It is a favorite idea among 
the learned Greeks with whom I have conversed respecting it, 
that the Momaic is but a modification of the Pyrrhic dance of 
the ancients, and its character, so utterly unlike the frivolous 
dances now in vogue, goes far toward establishing at least a 
connection between them. The Romaic resembles what I 
would fancy to be the war-dance of our Indians. 

On the morning of the festival of Epiphany, a singular cer- 
•emony took place at Piraeus, analogous to the marrying of the 
«ea practised by the ancient doges of Venice. At an early 
hour the Archbishop of Athens, attended by a large company 
of ecclesiastics, repaired to the margin of the harbor. A vast 
throng, especially of boatmen, gathered around while he pro- 
ceeded to bless the waters according to a formula provided for 
such occasions. At the same time he cast a small cross into 
the waves. By the contact, the waters of the bay are pre- 
sumed to be hallowed, and the shipping in some measure in- 
sured from shipwreck and other perils of the deep. From the 
annual repetition, it would seem that the blessing is sufficient 
only for a single year ; and were it not renewed, it would be 
almost impossible to persuade a Greek sailor to embark upon 
the unsanctified element. Scarcely had the cross disappeared 
from sight before a crowd of boatmen plunged in to find the 
glittering prize. And then began a strife in the deep water, 
until one, more fortunate than his competitors, emerged, clutch- 
ing the cross in his hand. Amidst the congratulations of his 
friends, he now hastened home. Having equipped himself 
with his best suit of clothes, he next rode to Athens and pre- 
sented himself with his cross at the palace. It is customary 
for the king to make the finder the handsome gift of one hun- 
dred or more drachms. The ministers of state, and then al 



]o4 CHURCH FESTIVALS AT ATHENS. 

others, follow the royal example ; and, even before the day 
has closed, it not unfrequently happens that the boatman's 
gains amount to a hundred dollars. 

The festival of the Three Hierarehs occurred on the eleventh 
of February, New Style ; or twelve days sooner, according to 
the old method of computing time. It was observed in a spe- 
cial manner by the University. Not only were all exercises 
suspended, but most of the professors and students repaired 
early in the morning to the church of St. Irene, to attend a 
long and tedious service. The chief feature of interest was 
the delivery of a written discourse by the Archimandrite Mi- 
sael, perpetual secretary of the Holy Synod. Preaching is of • 
such rare occurrence in the Greek Church, that I was curious 
to know what a man holding so elevated a station in that com- 
munion would select for his theme. Taking for his text the 
sixteenth verse of the fifth chapter of St. Matthew, the archi- 
mandrite enjoined on his hearers the necessity of leading a 
good life, as well as professing the orthodox faith. And as 
suitable examples for imitation, he held forth the virtues of 
the three " Hierarehs," in honor of whom the day was ob- 
served : St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Basil the Great, and 
St. John Chrysostom. The discourse was a fair moral hom- 
ily ; but that was all. A pagan or a deist could have found 
little fault with its Christianity ; for it ignored alike human 
inability and divine grace. 

The churches in Greece are very numerous, but mostly 
small and inelegant. The village church is often no more 
than twenty or thirty feet long, without bell or belfry, and the 
exterior disfigured by a coating of whitewash. Some in Ath- 
ens, even, are equally unpretending. On entering one of these 
humble structures, a narrow space at the farther end is found 
to be separated from the part occupied by the people by a high- 
ly-decorated wooden screen. It is adorned with several paint- 
ings, on canvas or wood, according to the wealth of the church. 
Those of our Saviour and the Virgin Mary occupy the most 
conspicuous places, on either side of the main entrance into the 
hieron, or "holy place," as the room behind the screen is 
called. One who is skilled in recognizing the saints by their 
appropriate symbols, can generally determine at first glance tp 



CEKEBKA^TION OF THK MASS. 135 

whom the church is dedicated ; for the picture of the patron 
is usually placed next to that of our Saviour. In the poorer 
chapels, instead of costly paintings, there are sometimes very- 
mediocre engravings ; but a curiously-wrought lamp of tradi- 
tional shape invariably burns before them, and its flickering 
light is usually kept up all night. 

In the larger churches there are three doors opening into 
the " hieron." Through the middle entrance appears the " sa- 
cred table," to which the name of altar is, I believe, never ap- 
plied. It is there that the consecration of the elements em- 
ployed in the Lord's Supper is performed ; but this portion of 
the service is not witnessed by the people. When it takes 
place, the curtains are drawn over the door, and now only the 
low plaintive tones of the officiating priest are heard by the 
worshippers who stand with bowed heads without. The scene 
is certainly more impressive than the more gorgeous ceremo- 
nial of the Latin Church. As a reason for observing this se- 
crecy, it is alleged that the solemnity of the service might oth- 
erwise be marred by the levity and irreverence of the audience. 
On either side of the principal entrance into the hieron are 
stalls in parallel rows facing each other. One, larger and 
handsomer than the rest, is set apart for the bishop, whenever 
he is present : the others are occupied by the men and boys 
that chant parts of the service. Women are not allowed to 
sing ; nor, indeed, are they permitted to stand so near the 
"holy table." In St. Irene's they occupy the galleries; and 
elsewhere the sides or farther end of the nave is appropriated 
to them. 

Still more singular, in the eyes of one who has often wit- 
nessed the devotions of Roman Catholic assemblies, and their 
numerous genuflexions, does it appear that a Greek auditory, 
no less reverent in their demeanor, should never prostrate 
themselves, but retain the primitive Christian custom of stand- 
ing in prayer. Not only chairs, but kneeling-stools, even, are 
entirely wanting. The tottering bishop himself stands erect 
during a great part of the service. The stranger will, howev- 
er, easily distinguish the more impressive portions of the mass, 
by the number of times that the sign of the cross is employed. 
The Greek rarely crosses himself less than three times in sue- 



136 CHURCH FESTIVALS AT ATHEls'S. 

cession, and irequently does it nine times. In the use of this 
sign he is much more deliberate and reverential than the Lat- 
ins, whom he regards as highly irregular in their practice; 
because, while he makes it from right to left, they make it in 
the opposite direction. With equal tenacity does he insist on 
the use of three fingers in pronouncing the benediction, thereby 
testifying his belief in the Holy Trinity. He likewise employs, 
in certain parts of the service, two bundles of waxen tapers. 
The first, composed of three, has the same symbolical sense as 
that just mentioned. The two tapers bound in the other, are 
used to set forth the two Natures in the one Person of our 
Saviour. 




NATJPLIA, FEOM THE BAY. 



CHAPTEK XL 



THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

"These massive walls^ 
Whose date o'erawes tradition, gird the home 
Of a great race of kings, along whose line 
The eager mind lives aching, through the darkness 
Of ages else unstoried, till its shapes 
Of armed sovereigns spread to godlike port, 
And, frowning in the uncertain dawn of time, 
Strike awe, as powers who ruled an older world. 
In mute obedience." 

Talfotjed's Ion. 

It was between six and seven in the evening of one of the 
first days of April before I could make the necessary arrange- 
ments for a tour with a party intending ta start on the mor- 
row for Nauplia. Mr, Newton, late an antiquarian attached 
to the British Museum, but recently appointed Vice-Consul 
for the Island of Mitylene, and C, son of a prominent London 
publisher, were to be my companions^ and we had engaged 
Demetrius, familiarly called Demetri, for our guide. By the 
time we had fully concluded to make the excursion, it was well- 
nigh dark ; and yet neither Demetri nor I had procured our 
passes, without which we were liable to be stopped at any 



138 THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

moment on our way, and perhaps subjected to considerable 
trouble in clearing ourselves from the suspicion of being either 
robbers or vagrants. The passport office was closed ; but the 
timely disbursement of two or three drachms readily opened 
it for us. A fresh difficulty presented itself; for not a blank 
pass could be found in the office. The ingenuity of the clerk 
easily surmounted this obstacle. An old pass which had seen 
service was discovered ; the name upon it was transmuted to 
what might be supposed to bear a slight resemblance to mine ; 
and the words " with his man, Demetrius," were added. So 
were we permitted to visit Argolis. 

The next morning saw us on our way to Pirasus, by the 
Macadamized road, which for three-fourths of the distance 
runs in a direct line across the meadows. The German sur- 
veyors chose for its substruction the northern of the Long 
Walls of Themistocles, and every violent rain uncovers tem- 
porarily the upper course of stones. Our driver did himself 
credit, and we reached the harbor in three quarters of an hour, 
and in ample time for the little Austrian steamer upon which 
we took passage for Nauplia. 

The weather was cloudy and dull when we started ; but as 
we advanced the atmosphere grew clearer, and we saw with 
great distinctness the shores of the Saronic Gulf, upon which 
we entered. Just beyond the narrow entrance of the harbor, 
our attention was drawn to the simple monument of Miaulis ; 
and only a few feet farther were the fragments of what popu- 
lar tradition has dignified with the name of Themistocles' 
Tomb. Whether this be the exact spot of his sepulture or 
not, the bones of the great general of ancient times, and those 
of the most famous admiral of modern Greece, lie mouldering 
on the shores of the ^gean, within a few yards of each other. 
Themistocles, it is well known, was buried by the sea-side, in 
full view of the Straits of Salamis, the scene of his most splen- 
did victory over the Persian fleet. 

We altered our course as soon as we had cleared the prom- 
ontory of Munychia, and, leaving on our right the island of Sal- 
amis, headed for the eastern cape of Argolis. This brought 
us within a very short distance of the Temple of ^gina, ded- 
icated of old to Jupiter Panhellenius. Through the captain's 



A I'AUTY ON DKCK. 139 

glass we could distinguish without difficulty its standing col- 
umns. It is one of the most perfect edifices out of Athens it- 
self; but we saw it to little advantage, and I reserved a visit 
for a future occasion. 

There were quite a number of passengers on board our little 
steamer, and as the day was fair and mild, every body congre- 
gated on deck. Indeed, the trip being a short one, most of 
them were deck passengers. The Greeks are so talkative and 
so easy of access, that it is not difficult to make a number of 
acquaintances in a short time. Oiir company was a lively 
one, too. As they had nothing else to do, most of them 
amused themselves by playing cards. One party of eight or 
ten were seated in Turkish fashion near the helm, forming a 
circle around a cloth, on which figured a cold leg of mutton 
and several bottles of wine. The men helped themselves plen- 
tifully, and, disdaining the use of forks, cut the meat with their 
jack-knives, or tore it to pieces with their fingers. These 
were evidently all from the same neighborhood, and members 
of the same clan. Some had that free-and-easy look, united 
to a considerable share of fierceness, that distinguishes the old 
Tdeft ; others, who were younger, belonged to the no less en- 
ergetic, but more tractable class, that is now springing up to 
take the place of the mountain brigand. I fell into conversa- 
tion with some students of the University that were returning 
home to spend the Easter Week vacation. Like all the rest 
of Greek students, they were poor, and evidently self-made 
men. Another set was collected around a musician, who af- 
forded entertainment by playing on an instrument not unlike 
the banjo, and by singing some country songs. 

There were but two cabin passengers besides ourselves, and 
they were members of the House of Representatives. One of 
them, Mr. Axelos, who represents the city of Nauplia, was dis- 
posed to be very communicative. He informed me that an 
election was about to be held at Argos the next day, or the 
day after, and that he was going thither to attend it. Being 
a partisan of the king, he seemed to be commissioned to pro- 
cure as favorable a result for the ministry as he could. The 
officer to be chosen on this occasion was the demarch, or may- 
or of the city, the most important municipal authority. The 



140 THREE DAYS IN AKGOJJS= 

mode of election, as Mr. Axelos described it, is a most curious 
one. The people choose twelve men as electors, and twelve 
more as substitutes. The first twelve choose from their own 
number four men with their substitutes ; and finally three can- 
didates are selected by these for the ofiice of mayor. Their 
names are presented to the king or ministry, and these desig- 
nate the one who shall be mayor. Out of the three candi- 
dates, i presume, the monarch may safely depend on finding 
one that will advocate the ministerial measures, for the sake 
of gaining office. And, of course, in so complicated a proced- 
ure, the government will find, abundant opportunity for wield- 
ing an influence over the election. It would be too great a 
stretch of charity to believe that my friend, Mr. Axelos, had 
no part to take in the election at Argos, as he was furnished 
by the ministry with an order for an escort of soldiers through 
the dangerous pass from Argos to Corinth, of which he invited 
me to avail myself in returning to Athens. 

By eleven o'clock we had crossed the Saronic Gulf, passing 
close to the island of Poros, remarkable of late years for the 
burning of the Greek fleet in its harbor ; but more famous 
under the name of Calauria, as the scene of the death of 
Demosthenes. It is a bleak, barren rock, without the sign 
of a habitation on this side. We kept on our course, near to 
the main land, and inside of the island of Hydra, which rises 
high and rocky from the sea. The town itself is divided by a 
ridge, which, running out into the sea, forms two harbors, the 
smaller serving for quarantine. The house of Condurriotti, 
the famous Hydriote, stands on the narrow tongue of land be- 
tween the two, and was pointed out to me. The commerce 
of Hydra has never recovered from the shock it received dur- 
ing the Revolutionary war. The prizes captured did not com- 
pensate for the great drains upon its resources. Since the 
Revolution, its neighbor, Spezzia, has regained some of its for- 
mer importance ; but Hydra has never sent forth such extens- 
ive fleets as those which it sent annually into the Black Sea. 
The privileges enjoyed by the islanders were so singular that 
they had little reason to complain of the tyranny of the Turks. 
Hydra was almost independent of the Porte, governing itself, 
permitting no infidel to set foot on its soil, and merely paying 



HYDRA, THE HOME OF LIBERTY. 141 

a small annual tribute. Commerce has usually the effect of 
removing national prejudice, and of making men more tolerant 
of the religion, manners, and customs of their neighbors ; but 
at Hydra it seems to have had a result directly the reverse. 
A Smyrniote lady at Athens told me that her father once 
nearly lost his life for presuming to enter Hydra in Frank 
dress. So inveterate was the dislike entertained for the for- 
eign costume, that he was pursued and hooted at in the streets, 
and compelled to take refuge in a house. It was a character- 
istic outburst of patriotism that led the admiral Tombazi to 
reply to one who exclaimed "What a, spot you have chosen 
for your country!" "It was liberty that chose the spot, not 
we." But along with this noble sentiment, and with others 
distinguishing them above the rest of their countrymen, the 
Hydriotes possess a considerable measure of the sordid love of 
gain. It is said that there actually existed in their city, at 
the time of the Eevolution, three mints for the manufacture 
of counterfeit Turkish coin, which was taken to Turkey, and 
there put in circulation.* 

Our steamboat stopped but a few moments off Hydra, to 
land passengers, and then continued its course until, coming 
between Spezzia and the continent, we entered the Gulf of 
Argos. The town of Spezzia is less picturesquely situated 
than Hydra ; but the island is lower and not so rocky. The 
harbor is long and narrow. The remainder of the afternoon 
was spent in steaming up the Gulf, with the bare rocks of the 
Argolic peninsula on the right, and the equally precipitous 
hills of Laconia on the other side, coming down to the very 
margin of the water. After turning a promontory, our steamer 
anchored directly between Nauplia and the little fort of St. 
Nicholas, or Bourtzi, on a small island opposite the city. 

Nauplia is finely situated, and appears to great advantage 
from the water. The houses are generally built of white 
limestone, with tiled roofs but slightly inclined. They rise 
gradually one above another on the side of a hill that forms 
the end of the promontory, and is crowned by the fort of Itch- 
kali. But these works are slight compared with those on the 
Palamede, a hill 740 feet in height, which commands the town 
* Howe's Greek Revolution, p. 155, note in fine. 



142 ^ THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

from the southeast, and renders Nauplia one of the three 
strongest places in the Morea — the Acroeorinthus and Monem- 
basia being the other two. It is singular that so remarkable 
a situation as this should not have been occupied, in the times 
of the ancients, by a populous town. But Nauplia is scarcely 
mentioned by historians and geographers until a comparatively 
modern date. Even toward the bay the town is protected by 
a high wall, which rises from the water's edge, and allows the 
landing of boats only in a single place. It is said, also, that a 
double chain used to be stretched from the fort Bourtzi to the 
main land. It is no wonder that the Turks were foiled in the 
attempt to take this place by storm from the hands of the 
Greeks. 

Although it was not late in the afternoon when we arrived 
off Nauplia, we were deterred from landing by a violent thun- 
der-storm ; and we concluded, following Demetri's advice, to 
spend the night on shipboard. The sun rose, on the morrow, 
in a clear sky, revealing all the features of the surrounding 
landscape. Northward we saw the low and level plain of 
Argos bounded by mountains; and on the west, at the base 
of the high hills that ran southward as far as the eye could 
distinguish them, was the low, marshy ground, where now 
stand the few houses of Myli. That was the ancient Lerne, 
the haunt of the famous Lernian Hydra, whose slaughter con- 
stituted one of the great achievements of Hercules. If the 
Hydra — as German critics pretend — ^was only symbolic of the 
pestilential vapors, which Hercules effectually removed by 
draining it, the monster is now as active as ever: for the 
neighborhood of Lerne, like all other low and boggy grounds 
in this warm country, is infested with fever and ague during" 
nearly two-thirds of the year. 

After waiting a long while impatiently for our guide, who 
had gone off to the shore, Demetri at last appeared ; and we 
repaired in a boat to the landing-place, where we found the 
horses that had been procured for us. "We set off at once, 
without stopping to look at Nauplia, for the old ruined cities 
of Tiryns, Mycenae, and Argos. Through a number of nar- 
row lanes we rode at full speed, brushing past the little open 
shops, and now and then drawing our beasts near the wall, in 



PLAIN OF ARGOS. 143 

order to avoid a train of mules laden with sacks or baskets, 
or a row of donkeys carrying huge bundles of brushwood, un- 
der which they were almost hidden. As for foot-passengers, 
they shifted for themselves ; and, in case the street was too 
narrow to allow more than a couple of horses to pass at 
the same time, they took refuge in some open doorway or 
shop. We left Nauplia through the only land gate, over 
which the old winged lion of St. Mark still exists sculptured 
on a slab of marble, a witness to the former supremacy of the 
Venetian Republic. We saw the same emblem, more or less 
entire, on various other portions of the wall. The Turks, 
when they gained possession of the city, after carefully destroy- 
ing the head of the lion, which they supposed, doubtless, to be 
one of the idols of the Christians, cared little whether the re- 
mainder of the monument was still there or not. Passing the 
narrow strip of ground used as a promenade, at the foot of the 
Palamede, we came to the suburb of Pronia, which, when 
Nauplia was the capital of the government, as it was for 
many years after the Revolution, was crowded with country- 
seats of all the principal families. Pronia has witnessed some 
stormy scenes. The congress that assembled there was broken 
up by force of arms, and its deputies dispersed. On the cliffs 
that encircle the recess in which Pronia is situated, we noticed, 
in riding by, a lion cut out of the solid rock, in imitation of 
the famous monument at Lucerne. It commemorated the 
Bavarians who died in Greece. 

We now turned northward, and entered the plain of Argos. 
A remarkable plain it is, indeed, and the scene of interesting 
historical events, from the time of Hercules, the Pelasgians, 
and the heroes of the Trojan war. The names of its cele- 
brated cities, Mycenae, Tiryns, and Argos, are mentioned as 
the seats of potent monarchs, at a time when proud Athens 
itself was mentioned by Homer as only a " demus," or town. 
The fertility of the soil, and its advantageous situation for 
commerce, led to its early selection for the principal kingdom 
of Greece ; and it still enjoys the reputation of being superior 
in productiveness to any other part of the country, except 
Messenia. We certainly could not fail to be struck with the 
vast difference between this plain and that of Athens, than 



144 



THREE DAYS IN AKGOLIS. 



which a more rocky and arid district would be difficult to 
find. The Argolic valley, measuring, perhaps, a dozen miles 
in length — from Nauplia to Mycenae — and not less than seven 
or eight in breadth at its southern end, gradually contracted 
as we rode on, until above Mycense it became a narrow defile. 
Fields of wheat, and vineyards of the Corinthian currant, oc- 
cupied both sides of the road. The products of both are said 
to be excellent. But there are none of those fine old olive- 
groves that give such a light-green tinge to the landscape in 
Attica. No one that travels across it, as we were about to 
do, just after a heavy rain, and is obliged to wade through 
pools of waters covering the entire road, or to stem the cur- 
rent of the Inachus, would be likely to style the plain of Ar- 
gos — as both ancients and moderns have done — "a thirsty 
land." Yet such it generally is, in consequence of the mea- 
greness of the Inachus, the only torrent it possesses. 

In half an hour we reached Tiryns. The long and nar- 
row eminence is a striking object. Rising in the midst of 
a perfectly level country, it has been compared to a large ship 
upon the calm surface of the sea. The road runs parallel to 
its western side. Having turned into the fields on the right, 
we rode up to the principal entrance of this acropolis. We 
alighted at the walls, and, while our guide led the horses around 
the hill to the road, we explored the remains of Greek masonry. 
To reach the mouth of a passage running through the thick- 
ness of the wall on the eastern side of the place, it was neces- 
sary to thread our way through the mass of tangled vines 
and stinging nettles that had grown up luxuriantly during the 
rains of spring. The wall was built of large, rough, and ap- 
parently unwrought stones, 
heaped one upon another, 
with smaller ones frequent- 
ly filling up the interstices. 
Some of the stones meas- 
ured five or six, and others 
as much as ten feet in 
length. The passage-way 
was vaulted, not accord- 
ing to the principle of the 




Micir IN Tur, ■s\'ATx or tikyxs. 



KUINS OF TIKYNS. 145 

arch, but with large stones projecting more and more, until the 
highest courses met entirely ; their balance being preserved by 
their being proportionately longer, so that the centre of grav- 
ity should fall within the wall. We entered this curious gal- 
lery, and found it some eight or nine feet high, and stretching 
about one hundred feet in depth, when it comes to a sudden 
termination. A single stone at the end has fallen, and the 
light entering through the vacant space shows that the gallery 
never extended any farther. By the same dim light we could 
distinguish five or six openings, or doors, on the right, which 
served at some time or other as entrances leading from the ex- 
terior of the city. They have all since been walled up. What 
could their use have been ? Perhaps for making sallies upon 
the enemy that might undertake to besiege the town. 

We found another similar passage on the opposite, or west- 
ern side of the great entrance ; but it was less interesting. 
The vault was perfect for a short distance only, the remainder 
being quite destroyed. We passed on, and ascended to the 
top of the citadel, which appeared to be elevated some thirty 
to fifty feet above the plain — one part being much lower than 
the other, which was a sort of interior fortress. The summit 
is about seven or eight hundred feet long from north to south, 
and usually about one-fourth as wide, although it varies con- 
siderably. On these three or four acres of ground stood the 
city of Tiryns, one of the oldest cities in Greece, and princi- 
pally famous for the wars with its neighbors. It is curious to 
see that in the time of that most invaluable of ancient topog- 
raphers, Pausanias, sixteen or seventeen hundred years ago, it 
was in the same ruinous condition as at present. " The wall," 
he tells us, " the only part of the ruins that remains, is the 
work of the Cyclops ; and built of unwrought stones, each of 
which is so large that a yoke of mules could not move even 
the smallest of them. Small stones have been of old fitted in 
with them, so as each to form a connection between the large 
stones."* Nothing but an earthquake could make much im- 
pression on these gigantic masses ; and so most of the circuit 
of the wall remains quite perfect. The view over the vicinity 
is extensive. Near the hill a neat-looking building has been 

* Pausanias. II.. 25. 

r; 



146 THREE DAYS IN AKGOLIS. 

erected by the government for an agricultural college, which 
thus far has not met with much success. The Greek taste, I 
imagine, does not incline much to agriculture. 

Demetri came to us before we had fully satisfied our curi- 
osity, and reminded us of the long ride we had yet before us ; 
but promised that if there were time, we should have the op- 
portunity of spending half an hour more at Tiryns on our re- 
turn. So mounting again, we rode toward the upper end of 
the valley, over a level district, abounding in villages and well 
cultivated, leaving the city of Argos far to the left. Near 
Mycenae the soil became lighter, and the country less popu- 
lous. At the little khan of Kharvati we diverged from the 
main road; and took a path which led us up to the village of 
the same name. Our arrival was greeted by some dozens of 
boys who came to beg, and by as many dogs that came to bark 
at us ; but we set both at defiance, and pursued our way. We 
were struck with the miserable condition of the inhabitants, 
who live in low stone or mud hovels, thatched with brush- 
wood and plants gathered in the vicinity. • 

A few rods beyond the village we reached the neighborhood 
of Mycense, and before entering the inclosure of the wall, de- 
scended into the far-famed Treasury of Atreus. An inclined 
plane, bordered on either side by massive stone walls, led us 
down to the building, which is excavated in the bowels of the 
hill. On advancing through the wide portal, we found our- 
selves in a great circular, vaulted chamber, about fifty feet in 
diameter, and forty in height. The walls gradually approach 
as they rise in a series of regular courses of squared stone, 
and form a conical dome — ^if I may be allowed the expression. 
Architecturally, the most remarkable feature of the construc- 
tion is, that its solidity does not depend upon the vertical 
strength of the arch ; but each successive circle of stones is so 
nicely adjusted, as not only to be firmly held together by its 
own weight, but also to support the pressure of the circles 
above it. A single stone — now displaced — capped the entire 
structure. The gateway, through which we had entered, was 
one of the most wonderful portions of the Treasury. Though 
scarcely more than eight feet wide, it is spanned by an enor- 
mous soffit twenty-eight feet long, nineteen feet broad, and three 



THE TKEASURY OF ATliEUS. 147 

feet and nine inches in thickness! How that mass, weighins: 

^ Do 

many tons^ was brought to this spot, and raised to the height 
of twenty feet above the floor — and that, too, without the aid 
of modern improvements in machinery — is a mystery difficult 
of solution. Certainly the architects of Agamemnon's age 
possessed no mean skill. Above this ponderous slab there is 
a triangular window that serves to let a faint light into the 
building. 

Leaving our horses here, we groped our way through a 
similar, but much smaller door, almost choked up with rub- 
bish, into a lateral chamber. Demetri brought in an armful 
of brush, and kindled a fire, whose flame revealed to us the 
shape of a damp room some twenty feet square, by our meas- 
urement, and fourteen feet high, cut out of the hard rock, and 
left with rough walls. The use of this portion of the building 
is uncertain. Our guide persisted in calling it the Tomb of 
Agamemnon, while the rest he styled the Treasury of Atreus. 
The reverse, however, is the more reasonable supposition : the 
costly chamber may have been the monument of the illustri- 
ous monarch, while the rough chamber, protected by the in- 
violable sanctity that attached to the resting-places of the 
dead, may have served as a treasury for the living. Since the 
structure stood outside the walls of the city — the most ancient 
walls, at any rate — it is not impossible that this should have 
been a tomb ; but some authors endeavor to prove, and with 
a show of plausibility too, that it was in some way connected 
with the worship of those early races that inhabited Greece 
before authentic history, and concerning whom the amount 
of knowledge we possess, notwithstanding the bulky tomes 
written about them, might be summed up in a few pages. 
Possibly the walls of this inner chamber were coated with 
marble, while those of the dome undoubtedly were covered 
with copper plates, as is evident from the abundant remains 
of copper nails studding their entire surface. 

Riding along the crest of the hill, on which ran the more 
recent walls of the city, we came unexpectedly to a hole, 
through which the traces of a monument, precisely similar to 
that we had been visiting, were visible. The upper part of 
the dome had fallen in, disclosing some of the lower courses 



148 THEEE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

of masonry. Most of this " Treasury" is buried below the ac- 
cumulated rubbish. There are two more outside the walls. 

On reaching the acropolis of Mycenae, we dismounted, and 
made a great part of the circuit on foot, observing the differ- 
ent kinds of construction that were here exhibited. Some- 
times, as at Tiryns, there were great masses of stone heaped 
together, apparently without any attempt to give them a more 
symmetrical shape. In other places the masses, though scarce- 
ly smaller, were hewn into large and almost regular courses, 
the occasional crevices being filled with small fragments. In 
walls of a yet more recent date the stones were much smaller, 
but of a polygonal form, and generally so admirably fitted 
as hardly to leave a visible joint between. We entered the 
acropolis by a gate built, in the most simple manner, of three 
stones — two upright slabs covered by a third. On either jamb 
there were projections, against which the door rested, and on 
one side were two holes, in which was placed the heavy bar 
that secured it. From the elevated platform on which we 
stood we could look far and wide over the plain, where reign- 
ed ''Agamemnon, king of men." This was the capital of the 
kingdom, while Tiryns to the south, and Argos, at the foot 
of that high hill almost as far toward the southwest, were the 
older and later capitals of the Atreidae. The ground we stood 
on was perhaps occupied of old by the royal palace celebrated 
for the misdeeds of Clyteemnestra and JEgisthus, and where 
the victorious monarch, Agamemnon, was assassinated, with 
the laurel still fresh on his brow.* 

We descended from the top of the hill to the object of great- 
est interest in the place — the Gate of Lions, Two enormous 

* Agamemnon was sometimes styled King of Argos ; but under this 
name was included not only the city of Argos — this being the capital of 
Diomede's dominions — but a large portion of the Peloponnesus, includ- 
ing particularly the cities of Mycenee and Tiryns. (Heyne, Excurs. 1, 
ad II. 2.) The scene of the play of ^schylus was more probably laid at 
Argos, whose site certainly accords better with the description given by 
the poet, of the signal fires that transmitted to Clytsemnestra the news of 
the fall of Troy, and of her husband's speedy return. I have not deem- 
ed it necessary to enter upon this discussion. The reader may find some 
remarks upon it in a note by Professor Felton on Lord Carlisle's Di- 
ary in Turkish and Creek Waters, p. 252, 



MYCEN^. 



149 




GATE OF LIONS AT MYCENJE. 



stones, standing on end, support a slab equally ponderous; 
and on the top of this is a triangular piece of gray limestone, 
ten feet long and nine high, upholding the only statuary to 
be found at Mycenae. A couple of lions are represented in 
high relief erect on their hind legs, and facing each other. 
Their front feet rest on a low pedestal between them, which 
is, in fact, a short Doric column reversed. Unfortunately, the 
heads of the lions are entirely destroyed, and so, also, is any 
object that may have been upon the top of the column : thus 
every clew to the meaning of this curious monument has dis- 
appeared, and it is impossible to tell, with any degree of cer- 
tainty, whether it was connected with the worship of the mys- 
terious builders of Mycenae. The artist who executed this 
work was not devoid of skill in portraying nature. Every 
muscle of the lion' s body is expressed, and even exaggerated, 
though there is a certain stiffness about the whole that marks 
an early period of art. At a glance one is struck with the 
resemblance of the figures to Egyptian works ; and no one 
that has seen the Assyrian monuments in the London and 
Parisian museums can fail to notice an equal likeness to their 
rigid outlines. It is a well-authenticated tradition that the 
Egyptians sent colonies to this part of Greece ; but it seems 
very doubtful whether these monuments resemble each other 



150 THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

any farther than as to the mere clumsiness that characterizes 
all works of remote antiquity. 

The ruins of Mycenas are the more interesting from the fact, 
that since the time of Pausanias they have undergone little or 
no change. " The inhabitants of Argos," says the historian, 
" destroyed Mycenae out of envy ; for while the Argives re- 
mained at rest during the invasion of the Medes, the Mycen- 
ians dispatched eight men to Thermopyl^, who took part in 
the contest with the Lacedaemonians. This brought destruc- 
tion upon them, since it excited the emulation of the Argives. 
There remains, however, besides other portions of the inclos- 
ure, the gate with the lions standing over it. They say that 
these are the work of the Cyclopes, who constructed the wall 
at Tiryns for Proetus." The great topographer also mentions 
the treasuries of Atreus and his children, his tomb, and those 
of Agamemnon and Clyt^emnestra 

We lingered for an hour or two among the ruins of Mycenae, 
and then hurried back to Kharvati, to take our lunch at tk^ 
khan. While we were partaking of such food as our guide 
had provided, some peasants brought us the ancient coins they 
had found in ploughing. Most of them were of the Byzan- 
tine period. They set an enormous value upon them, prizing 
especially all those that bore the impress of a Christian em- 
peror. It is said that when a medal of Constantine is found, 
it is kept as an heir-loom in the family, and nothing can tempt 
the fortunate possessor to part with it. Some peasants at the 
same khan were taking their mid-day repast ; but as it was 
still Lent, they rigidly abstained from meat and fish. They 
had before them a panful of snails, which they ate raw with 
their bread, seeming to regard them in the light of a delicacy. 
We were almost tempted to follow their example ; but our 
prejudice against snails was too powerful to be overcome, and 
we confined ourselves to that which the more civilized Deme- 
tri had set before us. 

In returning to Nauplia we took a longer road, which passes 
by Argos. This consumed more than two hours; for our 
horses were poor, and the road, though good in dry weather, 
led across the swollen stream Inachus, which is quite a re- 
spectable creek at this season of the year. We found Argos 



THEATRE OF ARGOS. 151 

utterly unlike Nauplia in appearance. The houses are new- 
er, and not so high ; and many are surrounded by gardens and 
vineyards, forming a populous but straggling town. Nauplia 
is its rival, and for a long time entirely overshadowed it : but 
now Argos contains, if I am rightly informed, ten or twelve 
thousand souls, while Nauplia has only eight. Gur object 
here was to see the remains of a Greek theatre. To reach it, 
we were obliged to traverse the greater part of Argos ; and a 
crowd of boys seeing the milordi coming, quitted their games to 
follow our steps. We had seen enough of their character to 
know that nothing could be gained by commanding them to 
be gone. Each who had been loudest in his play but a mo- 
ment before, pressed us in piteous tones to give him a penny ; 
and when we alighted, half a dozen called us in different di- 
rections to show us the ruins. If we walked behind any one of 
them, he was satisfied that we had engaged him as guide ; so 
that, by the time we were through, we found ourselves indebted 
to them, by their own calculation, in quite a considerable sum. 
The theatre itself, however, was interesting enough, not- 
withstandino; the disturbance of our clamorous attendants. 
The seats are cut out of the solid rock, and, rising one above 
the other, are divided by alleys into three divisions. Al- 
though the lower part of the theatre is covered over with 
soil, and a flourishing wheat field occupies the arena, some 
sixty-seven seats are still visible. In one or two places on the 
neighboring rocks, small bas-reliefs were rudely sculptured, of 
which we could make little. A friend of mine at Athens told 
me that he was a member of one of the chief congresses dur- 
ing the Greek revolution, which held its session in open air in 
this splendid monument of antiquity. Behind the theatre, 
which could seat about 20,000 persons, according to calcula- 
tions made from the number of seats, rises the lofty Larissa, 
the castle of modern, and the acropolis of old Argos. Its 
name is sufficient evidence of a Pelasgian origin. It is cover- 
ed by Venetian fortifications. The summit of the hill was 
probably the station of that watchman whom the Tragic poet 
represents as watching for ten long years, wet with the dews 
of every night, for the signal-fires that were to announce the 
capture of Troy by the Grecian troops. 



152 THREE DAYS IN AKGOLIS. 

From the theatre of Argos we returned to Nauplia. Our 
route led through the agora, or market-place of Argos. The 
name is not confined here to a building or an open square, 
but is applied to the portion of the town where provisions and 
other commodities are sold. There were few or no shops, 
every thing being exposed for sale on cloths and carpets spread 
upon the ground on either side of the way. Like the Turkish 
bazars, the place is noisy and crowded ; every seller screams 
in your ear, extolling the quality of his wares, and you find 
yourself heartily glad when no longer within hearing. There 
were but few houses between Argos and Nauplia, a distance 
of six or seven miles ; but the traffic and intercommunication 
was evidently considerable. We reached the harbor a few 
minutes prior to the departure of the steamer on its return to 
Athens, and my companions hastened on board. As for my- 
self, I concluded to vary the excursion by crossing to Corinth 
by way of Nemea, and taking the steamer thence to Piraeus. 
Since Demetri was to accompany the rest of the party, I had 
a new pass made out, and soon domiciled myself in the small 
old "Hotel of Peace," opposite the public square. 

Mine host, who rejoiced in the name of Elias Giannopoulos, 
finding that we could converse in his own native language, 
was disposed to show me every attention. It was too late in 
the afternoon to procure permission of the mayor to visit the 
Palamede ; but he volunteered to show me the other curiosi- 
ties of the place. He took me to the Church of St. Spiridon, 
a small building in an, obscure lane. "This," said he, "was 
the spot where Capo dTstria, the first president of Greece, was 
slain by the sons of Petron Bey. The two Mavromichalis, 
the assassins, stood a few feet down the alley, and when the 
president, at the conclusion of divine service, issued from the 
door of the church, they gave him a mortal wound." My 
friend Elias, though he disapproved of the bloody deed, and 
admitted its utter uselessness, did not exhibit, I must confess, 
much sorrow for the murdered man, who was the head of the 
Russian party. He grew very animated in describing the 
abuses of the government at Nauplia, and the corruption in- 
troduced even into the municipal authority. My window at 
the inn looked out upon the monument erected to the memory 



PASS OF TRCETUS. 153 

of Ypsilanti, of whom Elias was a great admirer. He seemed 
very much interested in learning that a town in America had 
been named after the favorite hero of this part of Greece. 

As Elias was about to send to Corinth to bring travelers to 
Ills hotel, I had no difficulty in procuring a horse and a guide 
to cross the Argolic isthmus. On rising the next morning, we 
found that the weather had undergone a sudden change during 
the night ; and instead of a clear, bright day, such as we had 
enjoyed, the clouds hung threateningly upon the sides of the 
hills, offering but a poor prospect for our long day's journey. 
Again we traversed the plain of Argos, following the same road 
as on the previous day ; and again we lunched at the khan of 
Kharvati, near the ruins of Mycenee. Here the plain contract- 
ed into a valley, that shortly terminated in a narrow ravine. 
This was the entrance into the Pass of Troetus, famous in an- 
tiquity for its difficulty. It was here that, in 1822, eight thou- 
sand Turks, under Drami Ali Pasha, after having ravaged the 
whole Argolic plain, and utterly destroyed Argos, attempted 
to cross the mountains into Corinthia. A handful of Greeks, 
with Nicetas at their head, were posted at the most defensible 
point in the pass, while sixteen hundred more occupied the 
heights about the entrance. For a time the Turks were per- 
mitted to advance unmolested ; but when they had fairly en- 
tered on the intricacies of the defile, they were assailed from 
behind rocks and bushes with volleys of shot. In vain did the 
Turks attempt to dislodge their unseen enemies ; they had 
to contend with mountaineers, trained in the rocky heights of 
Mount Taygetus. Drami Ali hoped, by pressing onward, to 
free himself from his perilous situation. But after two hours' 
march, with the enemy continually killing numbers of his men, 
he reached the narrowest part of the pass, where Nicetas had 
been impatiently awaiting his approach. Out of the entire 
army of the Turks, only two thousand succeeded in dashing 
through the opposing force. About as many more retreated 
to Nauplia ; but between three and four thousand perished in 
the fearful conflict. Quarter was sued for by many ; but the 
Greeks massacred to the last of their enemies. The spoil was 
very great, for the Turks were laden with the plunder of Ar- 
gos and many Greek villages. How changed the scene now ! 

G2 



154 THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

The pass was the picture of loneliness, and not a sound was 
to be heard. It is noted only for robbers, who have infested 
it until lately. It is -even now considered the most likely 
place for their reappearance; although Peloponnesus is, at 
the present moment, entirely free from depredations. 

The rain that had been threatening since morning now be- 
gan to descend in torrents. In addition to this, the cold was 
excessive for the season of the year ; and I found an overcoat 
and an umbrella poor protection. My guide, Sideri, wrapped 
in his great capote of camel's hair, fared much better. The 
Pass of Troetus is long, and we sought for shelter, hoping that 
the rain would cease, or at least diminish. At length we 
reached a hut ; but, upon opening the door, we found the dark 
interior crowded by a set of Greek peasants, who were en- 
deavoring to console themselves with the bottle for the un- 
promising aspect of the weather without. Not relishing their 
society, we pressed onward, my guide and a fellow-traveler 
with whom we had fallen in amusing themselves by singing, in 
the nasal tone peculiar to this country, some Greek love ditties. 
Our new companion left us, and pursued his way to Corinth 
by the direct road, while we turned to the left, and proceeded 
to the little valley of Hagios Georgios, the ancient Nemea. I 
was determined to visit the ruins, whatever the chances of the 
continuation of the storm. Some caves were to be seen as we 
approached Nemea ; they were those fancied by the poets of 
old to have been the haunts of the Nemean lion slain by Her- 
cules. At length, from a small elevation, we saw before us 
the retired valley of Nemea — apparently about three or four 
miles long, and one mile broad — isolated among the high hills 
of Argolis. A few minutes more brought us to the Temple 
of Jupiter. 

It was raining as hard as ever ; but I dismounted and 
tramped through the high grass, to examine this famous struc- 
ture. There are only three columns standing — two of which 
belong to the " pronaos," or chief entrance, and the third to 
the portico that ran before it. Yet the shape of the edifice 
can be made out with distinctness, from the lower course of 
stones belonging to the wall. All the columns of the portico 
that surrounded the temple lie strewn about the surface of the 



TEMPLE OF NEMEA. 



1F)5 




TEMPLE OF JUPITER AT NEMEA. 

ground. The numerous earthquakes with which this portion 
of the globe has been visited have thrown down one stone 
or one pillar after another ; and where a whole column has 
fallen at once, its pieces lie on the ground beside each other 
in regular succession. The capital upon one of the remaining 
columns has, by the same convulsion of nature, been singular- 
ly shifted from its place ; and a few more movements of the 
same kind will cause its fall. The inferiority of the coarse, 
gray limestone of which the temple was constructed, but espe- 
cially the distance of Nemea from any modern Greek city, 
have saved the temple from spoliation. It seems very prob- 
able that there remain sufficient materials to reconstruct the 
greater part of the edifice. I sat down upon the wet stones, 
and, ^under the shelter of an umbrella, succeeded in transfer- 
ring to paper a sketch of the ruins. The temple was of the 
Doric order, with a front of six columns. A ruined chapel 
near by was built of the ruins of this or some other ancient 
edifice of the same material. Instead of the busy scene which 
this valley must have presented two thousand years ago, when 
crowds of pleasure-loving Greeks thronged it, to behold the 
games celebrated here eveiy third year in honor of Archem- 
orus, not a single habitation stands within sight of the temple. 
The surrounding fields are partly sown in wheat ; while a few 
shepherds tend their flocks of black sheep and goats on the 
neighboring hills. 

We had entered the valley from its southern end : we left 



156 THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

it by crossing the hills on the eastern side, near a fountain, 
which was perhaps that of Adraste. Then we followed the 
course of a ravine, until, descending to the khan of Courtessa, 
we rested a while to dry ourselves and drink a cup of hot 
Turkish coifee. A khan is a cottage provided for the enter- 
tainment of the traveler, in which the farm-house and the hotel 
are combined under one roof. The khan of Courtessa is not 
very different from other khans throughout Greece, but as we 
sat warming and drying ourselves, I had a good opportunity of 
observing it. It is a small building, with a hard clay floor, in 
the centre of which a rude hearth is built, and the smoke must 
find its way out through the chinks of the roof, or the open 
doors and windows. At the farther end, a little room, or 
closet, is raised above the general level, with a boarded floor ; 
while the other end is fitted up as a country store. The sides 
of the room are covered with the various products of the neigh- 
borhood. The floor is generally occupied at night as a sleep- 
ing-place, not only by the family, but by the countrymen who 
put up there. 

At Courtessa, we entered upon a clayey country, where a 
torrent, now quite full on account of the recent rains, has cut 
itself out a deep channel. Our path crossed it very frequent- 
ly, and sometimes we were obliged to wade for a considerable 
distance. At one place we crossed by means of a bridge, 
which, my companion informed me, had been the head-quarters 
of a celebrated Tdeft named Tambouris, who was accustomed 
to strip the passers-by, but was at last captured and put to 
death. The ancient city of Cleonse occupied, it is supposed, 
an eminence very near Courtessa, commanding the passes. 
At intervals we saw, on the sides of the hills, caverns which 
had been converted into sheep-folds, by constructing a fence of 
brushwood around their mouths. The huts of the shepherds 
were built of the same fragile materials, and, being destitute 
of chimney and windows, were quite blackened with smoke. 

It was after five o'clock when we began to descend into 
the plain of Corinthia. The rain had ceased, and we would 
have enjoyed a fine view of the Gulf, had not heavy clouds 
shut out the distance. As it was, a broad plain, partly cov- 
ered with a flourishing olive-grove, was extended at our feet, 



THE INN AT CORINTH. 157 

stretching far beyond Sicyon toward the west. When we 
reached the small "Hotel de Bretagne" at Corinth, the day 
was too near its close to allow of my ascending to the Acro- 
corinthus ; besides, I hoped that the weather might become 
more propitious by morning. 

I found that my friend, the deputy, who had so kindly in- 
vited meto come from Nauplia under the protection of his 
escort, had arrived before me, and occupied the only decent 
room in the establishment. My own was bad enough. Mme 
host, a red-faced Ionian, who spoke Italian better than Greek, 
came to know what I T\dshed to eat. " What would you like," 
said he, "lamb, beef, or eggs, with bread and butter f I 
expressed myself perfectly satisfied if I could procure some of 
either of the former. " I am really most sorry," replied he ; 
" but there is not a particle of meat in the house." " Can 
you not procure some in the village ?" I asked, quite alarmed 
at the idea that, after solacing myself all day with the pros- 
pect of a good dinner, I stood a fair chance of being starved. 
" It is quite impossible ; there is not a bit to be found in town." 
" What in the world have you, then f I demanded, with some 
repressed indignation. "Why, please your honor, there is 
nothing but some bread and eggs." So I dined on a piece of 
brown bread and two or three eggs, which, in absence of spoons, 
were dispatched as best might be. After which feast, I soon 
threw myself on my bed to await the morrow ; and solilo- 
quized — 

"Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum." 

In the morning I found that the weather had not improved. 
Having an hour or two to spare, I concluded, nevertheless, to 
ascend the Acrocorinthus, the acropolis of ancient Corinth. 
It is a great hill, more than 1800 feet in height, lying south 
of the city. The Corinthians call it an hour's ride to the top ; 
we accomplished the ascent in somewhat less time, I believe. 
From the Acropolis of Athens, it differs in every respect ; being 
not only more lofty, but inclosing a far greater space within 
its walls. The summit, too, is not a level surface; but it 
could contain, as we know it has contained, a large town. 
Evidences of this fact are to be seen in the numerous cisterns, 
etc., of more ancient times. A ruinous mosque or two attest 



158 THREE DAYS IN ARGOLIS. 

the rule of the Turks. We woke from his morning slumbers 
one of the six soldiers that formed the entire garrison, and he 
led us around the fortifications. These seemed strong enough ; 
but one would say that, even without them, the rocky preci- 
pices below would render the position impregnable. Only 
five or six guns, I understood, were mounted. We lost all 
that extensive prospect for which the Acrocorinthus is cele- 
brated ; but had a good view of the two gulfs, and of the Bays 
of Cenchrea and Lecheum, with the adjacent country. 

On our return to Corinth, we spent a short time in the ex- 
amination of the only objects of interest that remain on the 
site of a city which once exceeded Athens for commerce and 
population — a temple in the very midst of the modern village, 
and an amphitheatre about three-fourths of a mile east of it. 
The former is a hexastyle Doric temple, of which only five 
columns belonging to the front, and two on one of the sides, 
are yet standing. Besides the noteworthy fact, that the only 
temple of which any trace exists at Corinth is of the Doric 
order, it is observable that the columns are '^'monoliths," or 
composed of a single block of stone. The temple could never, 
I think, have possessed much pretension to beauty, the propor- 
tions being too heavy. All the loose stones have been incor- 
porated into the buildings of the village, to which they were 
so conveniently situated. The amphitheatre is small but in- 
teresting, with a subterranean passage under the seat of the 
presiding officers. Such are the only ruins of consequence on 
the site of one of the most remarkable cities of Greece. How 
familiar must every feature of the natural scenery have been 
to the Apostle Paul, who resided here upward of a year and a 
half (Acts 18: 11, 18), devoting himself to the sacred func- 
tions of his office! He seems, by implication, to have come 
to Corinth from Athens by land ; and, when he departed, he 
sailed in a ship from Cenchrea for Ephesus. The village of 
Corinth barely contains a couple of thousand inhabitants. Its 
houses are low and poorly built ; and Corinth, famous of old 
for its luxuries and pleasures, now presents the aspect of a 
miserable hamlet, with nothing but the ancient name to uphold 
its reputation. 

The ride from Corinth to Kalamaki occupied about an 



TH.E ISTHMUS. 



159 



hour and a half. The distance is about seven miles. Until 
reaching the village of Hexamili, the road was covered with 
water from the continual rains. There the road to Cenchrea 
branched oif to the right. In the vicinity of Kalamaki, we 
passed first the ruins of the ancient isthmic wall, and not long 
after the site of the great ship canal that was undertaken to 
unite the waters of the Saronic and Corinthian Gulfs. Here 
the width of the isthmus of Corinth is the least. It is to be 
hoped that the enterprise of the present day will soon con- 
struct a new canal, from which advantages so great would re- 
sult to the commerce of the world. The isthmus is but three 
miles and a half wide in a direct line, and the utmost eleva- 
tion is 250 feet above the sea. In this neighborhood the 
famous Isthmian games were celebrated once in four years. 
A theatre, situated on the hill above Kalamaki, can even now 
be recognized, and may have been connected with their cele- 
bration. 

At Kalamaki I found the Austrian steamer waiting for the 
passengers and merchandise that had landed from the other 
steamer at Lutraki, on the Corinthian Gulf. At three o'clock 
we started for Piraeus, which we reached at half past six that 
afternoon. 




VIEW OF COBTNTH AND THE ACBOrOEINTHUS. 




TEMPLE OF JTJPITEK AT ^GINA. 



CHAPTER XII. 



^GINA AND EPIDAUEUS. 

"And thence from Athens turn away our eyes, 
To seek new friends and strange companies." 

Midsummer Night's Dream. 

The months of April and May are the most pleasant of the 
year for traveling in Greece, and I had been waiting some time 
for agreeable companions only to commence my long-contem- 
plated tour. By accident I fell in with two gentlemen — the 
one an Englishman, and the other a Frenchman — who pro- 
posed pursuing the same route, and who had reached Athens 
at the most suitable season. In other countries the traveler is 
left comparatively independent of the rest of mankind in form- 
ing his plans. Almost every where he will find good roads, 
regular conveyances, and tolerable hotels. He may spend at 
a given place just as much time as he shall find agreeable ; 
and, on leaving, is certain of meeting fellow-travelers similar 
to those from whom he has parted. Not so in Greece. Here 
the tourist is tied down to the same party, from the time of 
departure until he once more sets foot in Athens — unless, in- 
deed, he prefers proceeding in solitary glory, with no better com- 
pany than an illiterate guide and one or two stupid peasants. 



SELECTION OF A G LID K, Itji 

We found that the organizing of an expedition so extensive 
as that which we had planned was the work of some days. 
Guides there were in abundance willing to undertake, at a 
fixed rate per diem, to conduct us into any part of Greece. 
We put an end to their rival pretensions by a personal in- 
spection of their equipments. The harness of the horses ; the 
portable bedsteads, table, and chairs ; the cooking utensils — all 
underwent a rigid scrutiny : the result of which was that we 
chose Nicholas Combotteca for our guide. I should not fail 
to mention, however, that the candidates for that honor were 
questioned as to their knowledge of the route, and we satisfied 
ourselves that Nicholas was better acquainted with the locali- 
ties we were to visit than any of his competitors. Tuesday, 
April 27th, was fixed upon as the day for our departure, and 
our guide was empowered to engage a caique at Pireeus, as well 
as to send on horses to await our arrival at Epidaurus. 

We did not forget to obtain the requisite passes for our 
whole company at the police-ofiice ; our passports were hap- 
pily laid aside for the time, and we could travel with a sim- 
ple order from one part of the country to the other. With- 
out this we should have been subject, at every town or mount- 
ain pass, to be arrested as brigands — the only class that take 
the liberty of dispensing with this formality in Greece. 

At an early hour on the appointed day a carriage was 
waiting at my door to carry my companions and myself to 
Piraeus. Our luggage, in view of the fact that every thing 
was to be carried hereafter on horseback, was limited, by 
mutual consent, to a moderate carpet-bag, or something of 
equal bulk. In this bag we must, some way or other, find 
room to stow away our wearing apparel for more than a 
month, and sundry guide-books, which we severally contrib- 
uted to the general stock. On the top of the carriage, and in 
another which had been sent on before, were piled baskets, 
mattresses — every thing, in short, that was to conduce to our 
future comfort. We had scarcely started, when my comrades 
discovered that I had brought a watch with me, at w^hich they 
informed me that they had left theirs in the hotel-keeper's 
hands for fear of robbers, and were quite destitute of any jew- 
elry to tempt the avarice of the klefts. Profiting by their ex- 



162 ^GINA AND EPIDAURUS. 

ample, I deposited mine in the safe-keeping of Mr. Buel at 
I*iraeus, and we then drove to the wharf. An unexpected de- 
lay awaited us here. The caique we had engaged was at hand, 
and ready to sail ; but the captain — whose crew consisted of 
two men and a boy — was missing. He had gone, we were 
informed, to get his clearance papers. The previous day had 
happened to be a holiday in honor of the French vessels lying- 
in port, and as none of the public offices had been open, we 
were now obliged to wait till the necessary papers could be 
obtained. The consequence was the delay of an hour or more 
on the wharf, and great indignation on the part of Nicholas 
against the unoffending master, as well as against custom- 
houses in general. 

Our order finally came, and we jumped into the small boat 
that was to take us to the caique, lying in deeper water. Sails 
were soon set, but the breeze, though favorable, was light, and 
we advanced at a very slow rate. We left the harbor, and 
passed the ruined moles at its outlet, adorned during the Mid- 
dle Ages by two lions* to guard the entrance, across which a 
chain was stretched with ease. We coasted for a time along 
the promontory of Munychia, and then struck into the Gulf, 
in a direct line toward -iS^gina. The Temple of Jupiter Pan- 
hellenius, the principal object we wished to see on the island, 
occupies the nearest, or northeastern corner, about twelve 
miles distant. We were hardly half way across before the 
favorable breeze gradually died away, and at noon a souther- 
ly wind sprang up. Our man Nicholas, with the assistance 
of the Arab cook, set us a table on the deck, around which 
we collected with the best of appetites ; and the dinner, in 
truth, was not a bad one. Indeed, we never had the least 
reason to complain of our fare. The only inconvenience ex- 
perienced at this time was an occasional roll of the boat ; and 
once or twice we narrowly escaped having our viands precip- 
itated into the sea by the shifting of the boom as the sail 
flapped to and fro. Meanwhile we were making little or no 

* The lions, which were of marble, were carried away by the Vene- 
tians during their invasion of Greece, and now grace the entrance of 
their arsenal. Notwithstanding their loss, the harbor long continued to 
j-etain the name of Porte Leone, 



DEVOTIONS OP THE SAILORS. ]G3 

progress. To console ourselves, I lay upon the deck of our 
caique reading whatever books we had providently placed in 
our carpet-bags, and my companions solaced themselves by 
smoking their long chehouks. 

We had a small cabin, for our craft was of twelve or fifteen 
tons burden; but as it was, we gave it as wide a berth as 
possible. The smell of the confined air and bilge-water was 
unendurable, and we would have preferred being thoroughly 
drenched on deck to taking refuge in the hold. On one side 
of this cabin was hung a small painting," or icon, of Saint 
Nicholas, before which the devout sailors lighted a small lamp 
in his honor. Beside it was another religious print, such as 
are found in abundance about here, but the subject we could 
not make out by the dim light. Every class of society in 
Greece has for its patron some one of the saints, or the Vir- 
gin Mary, who is presumed to look down with complacency 
upon his or her worshippers. The manufacture of these mis- 
erable engravings, or still more wretched daubs in oil-colors 
upon wood, is a lucrative employment. Every house must 
have one of the precious representations. It is a well-attest- 
ed fact that even the burglar, who breaks into your house at 
midnight, and the pirate, who assassinates upon the high seas, 
are no less devout in this respect than their more honest neigh- 
bors. One of the modern saints has usurped the place of Mer- 
cury, the god of robbers. The shrine of this patron is enrich- 
ed with the full tithe of the unholy gains of the avowed out- 
law, who promises himself, in return, not only success and 
immunity in this world, but a bright crown and plenary for- 
giveness in the next. It is said that the visitor may have 
pointed out to him at one of the most celebrated shrines in 
the land — that of the Evangelista at Tenos — votive offerings 
well known to have been hung on its walls by the pirates in 
return for some fancied benefit received. Such ideas of com- 
mon morality as this circumstance implies may well shock the 
sensibilities of those who have been educated in a more en- 
lightened land ; but they are the legitimate offspring of a sys- 
tem which elevates the ecclesiastical above the moral duties 
of man. Some saints appear to have a stronger hold upon 
the religious feelings or imaginations of the people than oth'- 



164 ^GINA AND EPIDAURUS. 

ers. It may be doubted whether the faithful in Greece do 
not possess as many representations of St. George and the 
Dragon as does the whole island of Great Britain, while there 
is certainly more honor paid to St. Nicholas than even in the 
goodly city of the Manhattoes. 

All day we enjoyed a very extensive and beautiful view. 
The eye ranged over the whole circuit of the Saronic Gulf, 
and the prospect included, besides the Acrocorinthus, the 
snow-capped summits of Cithseron, of Cyllene, and of Khel- 
mos. The plain of Athens, too, was visible in almost its 
whole extent. On the right of it, Mount Hymettus, which, 
from Athens, appears to be one continuous ridge, was seen to 
be separated into two distinct masses. 

By one o'clock in the afternoon we were lying almost be- 
calmed within a mile or two of the island. Leaving the caique 
to come on more leisurely, we got into the small boat and 
rowed to the nearest point of the shore. We reached an an- 
cient landing-place, and proceeded by the shortest path to the 
temple. The island is high and rugged", measuring about 
eight miles on each of its three sides — its shape being that of 
an equilateral triangle. The soil is rocky and barren, and it 
can at the present time support but a small population. It 
was probably in consequence of this infertility of the soil 
that the ^ginetans early turned their attention to commerce, 
and so became the rivals of Athens in the fifth and sixth cen- 
turies before the Christian era. The town of ^gina, howev- 
er, was situated farther westward. We crossed in our walk a 
few cultivated fields, but for the greater part, the ground on 
either side was too rough to be tilled, and was very dry. It 
was, nevertheless, a very paradise of flowers, of those rich and 
varied hues that are characteristic of this climate. Before we 
regained our boat, we had gathered a variety of species, of 
which we were compelled, though with reluctance, to throw 
the larger part away. 

The Temple of Jupiter Panhellenius, which some antiqua- 
rians suppose to be rather that of Minerva, occupies the sum- 
mit of an eminence at the very northeastern corner of the isl- 
and, and overlooks the sea on two sides. There were origin- 
ally six columns on the fronts, and thirteen on each side of the 



TEMPLK OF JUPITER PAKHELLENILS. 165 

temple, forming a portico that ran around the entire building. 
Most of these are yet standing, much corroded by the action 
of the storms that beat with resistless violence upon this un- 
sheltered spot. They are of the Doric order, and are distin- 
guished from those of the Parthenon and Theseum by their 
less slender shape. The inside of the inclosure is now an al- 
most indiscriminate pile of blocks of stone, overgrown with 
ivy, and with small shrubs of prickly oak. No vestige remains 
of the numerous sculptured slabs which used to adorn the 
structure. The fragments of statuaiy fotind in the vicinity, 
in the year 1812, were purchased by the late King of Bavaria 
for the sum of £6000, and are now in the collection at Mu- 
nich. Among the principal peculiarities of these representa- 
tions is their strict adherence to nature ; but they are less 
graceful than the subsequent works of Phidias on the Parthe- 
non, and preserve more of the stiffness that characterizes the 
labors of an earlier age. It has sorely puzzled the learned to 
find upon them the traces of paint ; from which it appears 
that the drapery, eyes, lips, and arms were colored. Many of 
the figures would seem to have been covered with armor of 
bronze fastened on by means of nails, the holes of which are 
to be seen. Some preconceived ideas of the taste of the an- 
cients, too, have been sadly shocked by the discovery that the 
building itself was not suffered to retain its natural color. The 
cella. or body of the temple, was painted red, the tympanum 
sky-blue ; the architrave, above the columns, was variegated 
with yellow and green foliage, the triglyphs, still higher up, 
being colored blue.* 

While I sat down near by the southwestern corner of the 
temple to sketch it, J. was measuring the temple by means of 
the tape he carried with him — a practice to which he was very 
much addicted. The dimensions of the building, the size of 
the columns, and the proportions of the architectural details, 
were noted in a pocket-book. Thence they were transferred 
in the evening to a journal, after a careful comparison with 
those given by Leake and others, with as much satisfaction as 

* See C. O. Muller's Ancient Art and its Remains, translated by 
Leitch, p. 48. The temple is supposed to have been erected near the 
same time with the Temple of Theseus, about B.C. 465, 



166 ^GINA AND EPIDAUEUS. 

a cockney experiences when, having read the description of 
the Apollo Belvidere in the Vatican, he pronounced Murray 
" all right." It is but justice to J. to add that he was much 
interested in architecture, and that his painstaking was not in 
reality so useless as it appeared. 

We were loth to leave the charming site, with its extensive 
prospect over the island and the surrounding gulf; but we had 
to hurry back to our boat. I believe that we did not meet a 
single man on our way, so small is the population of this bar- 
ren part of ^gina. On the distant left we saw the ruined 
town, which the inhabitants abandoned for the coast in the 
time of Capo d'Istria's rule. We passed.no dwelling-houses 
at all, but several churches, one of them built on the summit 
of a hill. We found our captain had in the mean while suc- 
ceeded finally in getting the caique along shore. The place 
where we re-embarked was a miniature harbor of a nearly cir- 
cular shape, cut out of the rock, which is almost level with 
the water's edge. It was evidently made by the ancients, to 
whom it probably served as the port of the Temple, which 
was completely isolated from the habitations of men. We no- 
ticed on its shores the foundations of a building or bath in a 
depression of the rock. 

With a fair wind we sailed rapidly along the northern side 
of -^gina ; then, as we turned southward, passed on our left 
the modern city of ^gina, a place of some note in the time 
of the Revolution, until the removal of the capital to Athens. 
In ancient times the Athenians laid the first foundations of 
their maritime supremacy on the ruins of the wealthy -<Egine- 
tans, the inventors of the coining of silver money; and the 
same process has been repeated of late in a more pacific way. 
The museum, the gymnasium, and other public institutions, 
have been transferred to the new capital ; and at the present 
hour the little town of ^gina is altogether devoid of interest. 
At about nine in the evening we reached the opening of the 
harbor of Epidaurus, which we entered with some difiiculty, 
after tacking several times. It was full half past ten before 
we landed. 

Nicholas led us to a house near by, half Man, and half pri- 
vate dwelling ; but it was closed for the night, and the inmates 



DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 167 

were buried in their slumbers. Thereupon our worthy guide 
commenced a loud rapping at the door, and soon roused the 
owner, Avho loudly inquired from within the cause of this un- 
seasonable interruption. The master of the house in vain 
pleaded, fi'om within his bolted door, the old excuse that " his 
children were with him in bed;" we were pertinacious. A 
room was cleared with a little difficulty, by the removal of 
half a dozen drowsy heads. Our guide arranged our beds, and 
we retired to rest under the tutelary watch of St. George, 
whose image, lighted up by a flickering taper, adorned the 
wall of our chamber. 

The next morning we rose at an early hour, having a good 
day's work before us ; and after breakfast, while our attend- 
ants were loading the horses with our luggage, we went around 
the harbor of Epidaurus to see the ruins of the ancient 
Acropolis. The modern village, consisting of perhaps fifty 
houses, somewhat better built than the common dwellings of 
the peasantry, occupies one side of the bay. It bears the 
name of Pidauro or Pidaura, which is only a slight change 
from Epidauros, the ancient appellation. It would scarcely 
have appeared on the page of modern history, had not this, 
fortunately, been the spot chosen for the meeting of the first 
National Assembly. Here, on the 1st of January (old style), 
1822, the following declaration of independence was framed 
and given to the world : 

" The Greek nation, under the dreadful Othoman rule, un- 
able to endure the most heavy and unparalleled yoke of tyran- 
ny, and casting it off with great sacrifices, proclaims this day, 
through its lawful Eepresentatives, in National Assembly con- 
vened, and in the sight of God and of men, its political exist- 
ence and independence."* 

A foot-path led us around the head of the harbor, skirting a 
narrow marsh. A man who came along with us conducted 
us first to two statues lying hidden in the fields of wheat. 
They were much mutilated, and did not show many traces of 
fine chiseling. They were probably both recumbent figures 
on slabs of marble, serving as tops of monuments. Two or 
three of much superior execution have been taken to Athens 
* Howe's Sketch of the Greek Eevolution, p. 73, 



168 ^GINA AND EPIDAUKCS. 

or elsewhere. The ancient city occupied the high termina- 
tion of a tongue of land that forms the southern side of the 
harbor. We were first led to a long line of ancient wall run- 
ning along the southern side parallel to the shore ; it seemed 
to have been the wall of the city. The stones it is composed 
of are polygonal, of that construction which goes under the 
name of Cyclopean, closely fitting one to another. Their size 
is not remarkable ; there are few more than three feet, or three 
and a half in length, and most are much smaller. At another 
spot higher up there are remains of a wall built in regular 
courses, and with cement, which is a sure indication of its 
more recent date ; for until the Romans conquered Greece 
there is no trace of any mortar having been employed in the 
building of walls. On the whole, however, we saw nothing 
of much interest on the site of the city, where we cleared our 
way through a tangled undergrowth of shrubs. To see the 
vegetation of Greece in all its glory, this is decidedly the most 
favorable time. Every spot where a plant can find room for 
its root is covered with a blooming profusion of wild beauties. 

We returned to Epidaurus in season to find every thing 
ready for departure. It is time that I should give some ac- 
count of our arrangements. Nicholas, who superintended the 
whole preparations, had sent on to Corinth to procure the 
horses, which had arrived at Epidaurus the previous day. 
These amounted to eight, all told. Besides the three which 
my companions and I rode, our guide had a fourth. The oth- 
er four were pack-horses, upon whose patient backs were piled 
an indiscriminate mass of portable bedsteads, beds, table, and 
chairs, with every utensil that might be needed for a month to 
come. One horse was specially to be noted from the quantity 
of kettles and cooking apparatus dangling from its sides : 
above all which was perched our indispensable Arab. To 
attend the pack-horses we needed three more men, who served 
as agoyates. 

Our company altogether must have presented rather a com- 
ical appearance as we defiled along the narrow path leading- 
out of Epidaurus. The van was led by our guide, Nicholas 
Combotteca — a man of some thirty-five summers ; thin, and 
clad in the common Albanian costume. A pretty ^ood-hu- 



HIEKO OF -^SCULAFIUS. 169 

mored man he is, but variable, and, for the most part, reserved. 
Nicholas, though possessed of little learning, is our leader. 
Next in importance comes lanni, our cook. Though his face 
is black as coal, he holds his head as high as the best, and 
boasts of having been cook to the greatest folks in the king- 
dom. His father came from Arabia, I believe; but lanni 
prides himself upon having been born on Grecian soil. No 
ill-will or dislike existed between lanni and the drivers, for 
no prejudice against his color prevails in the^e parts. At any 
hour in the course of the day you might find him at his work, 
his face radiant with contentment. lanni' s importance com- 
menced where that of Nicholas terminated. On reaching the 
end of our day's journey, the pack-horses were drawn up to the 
door of the khan, or, as was more frequently the case, of the 
private house ; and lanni was the first to enter, carrying a 
pair of saddle-bags on his arm. Every thing within reach was 
laid under contribution to furnish us with a dinner. Indeed 
it used to add no little relish to our meals to wonder where 
lanni could have procured the materials for them. 

The rear was brought up by the four agoyates. Panaghi- 
otes, their leader, is an arrant hypocrite, but making great 
pretensions to strict honesty. He is chief proprietor of the 
beasts of burden; while the others are part owners. Two 
disputed among themselves the honor of being the " last man ;" 
and they might often be seen far in the distance running to 
catch up with our caravan. Our own equijpages were not 
of a very superior order. J.'s horse was unfortunately given 
to falling and losing his shoes in rocky places ; and the other 
beasts were not much better. 

Our baggage was sent on toward Nauplia, by the direct 
road passing through the village of Ligourio. We turned off 
to the left, to visit the ruins of the Hiero, or Sacred Inclosure, 
of Epidaurus. This ancient town obtained the whole of its 
celebrity from the sacred grove and temple of^sculapius, sit- 
uated at the distance of some four or five miles, in a secluded 
valley. The road thither followed for a while a ravine which 
ascends from Epidaurus ; this, by-and-by, contracted into a 
mere mountain glen. The ascent was very slight at any point. 
The mountains on either side were rocky to the extreme, with 

H 



170 ^GINA AND EPIDAURUS. 

rounded summits, and almost entirely bare of trees. One of 
them, by the name of CEta, seemed to be very lofty. We rode 
directly to the most interesting object remaining — the ruins 
of the theatre, one of the largest extant within the limits of 
Greece proper. We dismounted and climbed up the rows of 
marble seats to explore it. The form is finely preserved, and 
row after row of seats may be counted, to the number of fifty- 
six or seven, upon which it has been calculated that twelve 
thousand persons might be seated and witness the perform- 
ances of the stage. As in most other ruins of modern Greece, 
the prickly oak has sprung up in the narrow flights of steps 
leading up the cavea^ and has often torn away the marble 
benches of the spectators. Notwithstanding this, the theatre 
is undoubtedly the best preserved in Greece. The arrange- 
ments of such a building may be better learned by an exam- 
ination of this edifice than by any other. From the orchestra 
ascended no fewer than twenty-four small staircases, dividing 
the audience, and giving ready access to every part of the the- 
atre. As usual, the architect, in selecting the site, had taken 
advantage of a small recess or hollow, which with very little 
labor was made to assume the requisite shape. Some idea of 
the size of this theatre may be gained from the fact that its 
diameter was about three hundred an^ seventy feet. 

Our guide led us next to the Stadium, which is to be recog- 
nized only by its outline, and by a few scattered seats. It ap- 
pears to have been a very large one, though not to compare 
with that of Athens. In the very midst of the sacred inclos- 
ure are the few and uncertain remains of the famous Temple of 
-^sculapius, around which the other buildings were arranged 
as subordinate in importance. We could distinguish nothing 
but a mass of wrought stone, indicating the general form of 
the building. Near by are the more undoubted remains of 
ancient baths, built in Roman times for the reception of the 
health-giving waters of the place ; for Epidaurus served the 
purpose of a fashionable watering-place; and the theatre 
proves that the frequenters of the baths were unwilling to 
forego even here their customary amusements. The cisterns, 
to which a small conduit leads, are extensive. One of those 
we passed was no less than one hundred and twenty or thirty 



AN ANCIENT WATERING-PLACE. 171 

feet long, the brick walls of the Roman structure being sup- 
ported by what appeared to be an earlier Grreek masonry. 
Among the confused remains of ancient temples, baths, and 
perhaps less considerable edifices, strewing the whole valley, it 
is difficult to recognize any one of those buildings whose splen- 
dor is portrayed in brilliant colors by the tourists who gazed, 
two thousand years ago, upon the same localities, with min- 
gled curiosity and awe. In those days the sick of all kinds 
flocked to the fane of the wonder-working demigod, and wheth- 
er it was the healing influence of the medicinal waters, or the 
effect of imagination, numbers returned to their homes, as they 
supposed, the subjects of marvelous cures. We may readily 
believe that it was esteemed more fashionable to be restored 
to health by the miraculous interposition of the god and his 
serpent, than by the more practical, but more ignoble, influ- 
ence of drugs. The walls of the temple were crowded with 
tablets descriptive of cures, and rich with gifts suspended by 
the invalids who had been relieved ; much as in some of the 
popular shrines of Italy at the present day. The sanctity of 
the inclosure, however, proved but a weak barrier to the cu- 
pidity of those who conquered the country, even before the 
Christian era.* 

After an hour's delay we rode on, and, leaving the secluded 
vaUey of Hiero, reached a small village by the name of Ligou- 
rio. At the khan we sat down for a few minutes to lunch, 

* The ordinary sacrifice to JEsculapius was of a cock, whose head was 
generally wrung ofi". The body, I presume, fell to the share of the priests. 
Such a sacrifice Socrates i^ represented as enjoining his friend to ofier, 
while lying on his couch before his death ; assuredly not in the so-called 
" prison of Socrates." The singularity of the matter is, that this custom, 
like many others in Modern Greece, has survived the lapse of so many 
centuries, and the fall of paganism. Dr. Roser, the king's physician — 
himself, therefore, a votary of JSsculapius — told me that, while at Ca- 
landri, a village some five or six miles distant from Athens, he saw a 
child to whose neck a dead pullet had been tied, as a sort of charm. In 
some parts of the country women often have a cock strangled to insure 
their safe c(5nfinement ; and the interest of their attendants is consult- 
ed, since the fowl is afterward given to them. In Macedonia, on the 
other hand, the healthy teething of a child is supposed to be secured by 
its parents by means of cakes covered with sweets, distributed to other 
children. 



172 ^GINA AND EPIDAURUS. 

This place, it is supposed, occupies the site of the ancient Les- 
sa. The valley into which we had crossed was cultivated 
with considerable care, every available spot being planted 
with grain. As we were yet some distance from Nauplia, we 
rode rapidly forward, leaving our guide to come on more leis- 
urely with one of the horses which had lost its shoe ; nor, in- 
deed, was there any thing of interest to detain us along the 
way. The mountains, barren and rocky on either side, pres- 
ently left between them only an arid and stony glen, where the 
eye could scarcely rest upon a shrub or tree. Not a single 
hamlet did we pass, until at length, emerging from the hills, 
after a wearisome ride, we saw before us the Palamede of 
Nauplia, beneath which the quiet town nestles along the wa- 
ter's edge. Having overtaken our baggage train just before 
approaching the gates, we fell into single file, and threaded the 
somewhat intricate lanes of Nauplia. The " Hotel of Peace," 
of my quondam friend Elias, was again our rendezvous ; and 
albeit remarkable neither for cleanliness nor for spaciousness, 
we long treasured, in our subsequent wanderings, the memory 
of its humble luxuries. 




INTEKIOE OF THE KHAN OP 6E0KGITZANA. 



CHAPTER Xin. 



MANTINEA—TEIPOLITZA— SPARTA. 

On rising the next morning, we found the weather foul. It 
had been raining all night, and there were no indications of a 
respite. We debated the expediency of taking a carriage to 
make the tour of the plain of Argos ; but, on inquiry, learned 
that the roads were too muddy for any wheeled vehicle. We 
sallied out, therefore, on horseback, at a little before eight, 
leaving our agoyates to proceed, with the baggage, along the 
direct road to Argos. As for ourselves, we set forth to visit 
the ruined cities of Tiryns and Mycence. I shall not detain 
the reader with a full description of these places, which have 
been mentioned elsewhere. The plain of Argos, always cele- 
brated for its fertility, was now much more flourishing than 
it had been three or four weeks previous. The view of the 
mountains all around was, however, limited by the heavy 
clouds hanging over their sides. Late in the afternoon they 
began to break, and when we reached Argos we had ample 
time to climb the high and steep Larksa that overhangs the 
town toward the west. A winding path led us gradually 
around the hill, and presently we found ourselves on the sum- 
mit, commanding an extensive prospect over the plain. About 
us were the dismantled towers and battlements of the Yene- 



174 MANTINEA TRIPOLITZA— SPAETA. 

tian or Frank fortifications, and in the middle of the castle we 
found a couple of large cisterns hewn out in the rock. Dur- 
ing the late wars, the possession of this strong position was 
warmly contested by the Greeks and the Turks. Its almost 
impregnable strength commanded the passes to the south along 
the ^ea-shore, as well as the neighboring plain. But now the 
deserted walls are shattered and untenable. May the time 
never return when it shall become necessary to repair their 
ruins, and the sound of war shall again be heard in the depop- 
ulated valleys of Greece. 




WALL OF THE CITADEL AT AKGOS. 



On the morrow we rose early to accomplish the long day's 
journey before us. It was our purpose to reach Tripolitza 
that night, visiting on our way the site of ancient Mantinea. 
There is a steep mountain path, practicable only in the sum- 
mer season, across the close range that bounds the plain on 
the west, separating it from the inland district of Arcadia. 
We soon discovered that the recent heavy fall of snow had 
formed a trackless waste, and we were compelled to turn con- 
siderably to the southward to reach an easier pass. In doing 
so, we skirted the Lernian marsh, or, rather, left it some dis- 
tance on our left. This locality, so famous as the habitual 
resort of the Hydra, slain by the strong arm of Hercules, is at 
present haunted by a no less formidable and destructive mon- 
ster, in the guise of the fever or " malaria." When another 
deliverer shall arise and free the country from its baleful in- 
fluence, he will be quite as deserving of the remembrance of 
mankind as the deified hero. 

Before leaving the plain of Argos, we came to the source of 
the Erasinus, a river which empties, after the course of a mile 
or two, into the Gulf. This is not a small spring, bi^t an en- 



A KATAVOTHRON. 175 

tire stream, that bursts out from the rock with great violence, 
and is evidently a subterraneous river. Both ancients and 
moderns have agreed in supposing it to be the outlet of Lake 
Stymphalus, full twenty-five miles distant. It is, in fact, such 
an opening as the modern Greeks call a katavothron ; that is, 
a chasm, through which a stream worms its way beneath en- 
tire chains of mountains. In the high, mountainous country 
of Arcadia the rains fall more abundantly than in any other 
part of Greece, but, at the same time, there are fewer outlets 
for the streams. Huge and undivided ranges oppose them- 
selves to the progress of the waters, which, collecting in the 
hollow valleys, form those pretty lakes that diversify that dis- 
trict, and present so striking a contrast to the aridity of the 
neighboring regions. The whole of Arcadia, however, would 
soon be converted into a single pond were there not some 
means of discharge for the superfluous waters. Fortunately 
the prevailing rocks are soft, and for the most part limestone. 
Through them, in the course of ages, the streams have grad- 
ually worn themselves a passage, and thus, after an under- 
ground channel of several miles, find egress into the lower 
lands, whence, in general, they easily take their way to the 
sea. But sometimes their farther progress is not unimpeded. 
A second, and even a third range, interposes ; and again and 
again the river must delve through the rocky obstacle. Not 
a stream succeeds in breaking through the mountains, which 
separate Arcadia on all sides from the adjacent states, like a 
continuous wall, by a uniform course, except on the west, 
where the rapid Alpheus finds a narrow passage through a 
contracted gap. All the rest appear and disappear, as if dis- 
daining to attempt an easier exit than that directly through 
the bowels of the earth itself. 

Such are these hatavothra, of which we met quite a number 
in our tour in Arcadia. Naturally these holes, in time, be- 
come partially, if not entirely, choked with the accumulation 
of sand, wood, stone, and other materials. Then the lakes, 
finding an insufficient discharge for their ever-accumulating 
contents, rise far above their usual banks, and flood the ad- 
joining fields and villages. This has occurred periodically for 
centuries. Many extraordinary swellings are mentioned as 



176 MANTINEA TRIPOUTZA SPAETA. 

occurring in ancient times, when, as the country was more 
densely inhabited, their devastations were still more extens- 
ive. Below the katavothron of Argos are situated several 
mills, which obtain ample motive power from the river, and 
directly above it is a large and curious cave, stretching back 
much farther than we had time to follow it. From the posi- 
tion it would seem very likely to have been the former chan- 
nel of the stream below. The devotion of the neighboring 
peasants has turned a corner of the cavern into a diminutive 
church or chapel; it was, however, locked, so that we did 
not succeed in viewing its internal arrangements. Nicholas 
insisted on calling the cavern " the haunt of the Lernian hy- 
dra." We attempted to disabuse him of this topographical 
error by reminding him of the fact that Lerne lay several 
miles oiF, by the water's edge. 

We now turned inland, and commenced a long and tedious 
ascent in a pass between the mountains, bearing the name of 
Ktenia and Roino, the former being nearly five thousand feet 
in height. The khan of Achladocampo ("Apricot Valley") 
was our resting-place at noon. This charming and retired 
spot was the site of the ancient town of Hysice. Its peaceful 
repose was once, at least, disturbed by the din of battle, when 
the inhabitants of Argos contested the field with the Spartans, 
and came off victors. The fortress of the town which was 
the reluctant spectator of this conflict has left some remains 
on the brow of one of the hills, but they seem to be of Ro- 
man construction. An upper room in the khan was soon 
cleared for us, and here we sat down upon a carpet spread 
out in the middle of the floor, to eat our mid-day meal. Sev- 
eral women were spinning around us. They used the antique 
spindle, which is twirled by being rubbed against the knee, 
and then left to twist the thread with the motion imparted to 
it. Occasionally the distaff was replenished from a large pile 
of cotton in one corner. Meanwhile, as we ate, we furnished 
them a fruitful theme of conversation, supposing, as they did, 
that we understood no more Greek than do most travelers 
from the west. 

There awaited us, after leaving Hysise, an ascent yet more 
fatiguing over Mount Parthenius, which bounds the western 



MOUNTAIIS PASS. 177 

side of the valley of Achladocampo. The road was for the 
most part a narrow ledge or shelf, now cut out of the solid 
rock, and now, again, paved with stone. Very little pains are 
usually taken to improve the state of the roads in these re- 
gions ; but here, for the first time, we met an old man en- 
gaged in keeping the mountain path in repair. This he did, 
I presume, of his own accord, depending for his support on 
the contributions of passers-by. A collection of a few leptas 
secured to us his gratitude, and, if we might believe him, the 
protection of numberless saints of the calendar, whose names 
he glibly repeated. At length we reached the top of the hills, 
and suddenly obtained an extensive view of the plain of Tri- 
politza. The town itself was in full sight to the west. And 
now we commenced the descent. A village on our left fur- 
nished, in its vicinity, another example of the passage of a 
stream through one of those remarkable katavothra. 

Leaving our baggage to proceed directly to Tripolitza un- 
der the charge of the Arab cook, we turned off toward Man- 
tinea, some seven or eight miles northward. The prospect, 
as we approached, was quite alpine. On all sides we were 
shut in by mountains, of which Mount Khelmos stood out 
prominently in front, its snow-capped head with double its 
usual covering at present. The hills on either side approach 
at one spot, forming a separation between the parts of the 
plain. Our road led us along the right side of the valley, 
passing through a hamlet, where a troop of barking dogs came 
out to greet us. This is the invariable indication of approach 
to a village in the Morea, and it is an occurrence quite too 
uniform to be pleasant. Fortunately the courage of the curs 
was not equal to their zeal, and a few well-directed stones 
rarely failed to disperse the entire pack. We were not a lit- 
tle amused at the stratagem of one of our agoyates, who was 
accustomed to aim, first, a projectile, at which the dogs flew 
in a rage, affording him a good mark for his second missile. 
Not far from this village a peasant came running up, wishing 
to show and sell us a small coin he had found in ploughing. 
But his coin was too much defaced, and his price was too ex- 
orbitant, so that he failed to obtain a purchaser. 

We reached the site of Mantinea, standing in the centre of 

H2 



178 MANTINEA— TRIPOLITZA ^SPARTA. 

this part of the valley, in the midst of a marsh produced by a 
small creek, which shortly after buries itself, like its neigh- 
bors, in a katavothron near by. The ancient wall is the prin- 
cipal, or, indeed, the only object of interest beyond the mere 
position and natural features of this city, one of the most il- 
lustrious of Peloponnesus. This wall, it is true, rises at no 
place above three tiers of symmetrical courses of masonry^; 
but the entire circuit of the fortifications is preserved. At 
regular intervals of sixty or eighty feet there are square tow- 
ers projecting from the line of the wall, and numbering, it is 
said, near one hundred and twenty. The old moat is still 
filled with water, and we were compelled to ride around a 
great part of the wall before finding a spot which the horses 
could ford. Within the inclosure were some remains of a 
theatre, only its general outline and some scattered stones at 
its base being distinguishable. The most peculiar circum- 
stance respecting Mantinea was its situation ; for, unlike most 
Grecian towns, it possessed no acropolis or fortress. The 
lowness of its position suggested to the Spartan, Agesipolis, 
who in B.C. 385 laid siege to this city, a clever device for 
reducing it to terms. The walls at that time, it appears, 
were built of sun-dried bricks. By stopping the course of 
the stream, Agesipolis succeeded in inundating the vicinity 
of the walls, which soon began to crumble and fall. The in- 
habitants at once gave up the attempt to maintain themselves, 
and capitulated. 

Perhaps no locality in the world can boast of an equal 
number of battles fought upon its soil. Besides several mi- 
nor engagements, three great conflicts have been here de- 
scribed by three of the greatest Greek historians — Thucy- 
dides, Xenophon, and Polybius. In the first, fought B.C. 
418, the Mantineans and their allies were routed, in a most 
decisive action, by the Spartans under Agis. Notwithstand- 
ing this success, however, the place was of ill omen for the 
Lacedaemonian arms. In the second of these great contests 
the Thebans, under Epaminondas, in the year B.C. 362, met 
and put to flight the Spartan army at the expense of their 
gallant commander's life. Carried almost lifeless to one of 
the adjoining eminences (the spur of the mountain which sep- 



THE BATTLES AT MANTINEA. 179 

arates the valleys of Mantinea and Tripolitza), he beheld from 
thence the complete discomfiture of his enemies. Contented, 
he withdrew the hand with which he had closed the bleedmg 
wound, and died in the full height of his glory. The third 
battle was fought between the Spartans and the Achseans un- 
der the generalship of Philopoemen, the "last of the Greeks," 
B.C. 207. It resulted in the defeat of the former, and the 
death of their king. This was one of the last and most 
deadly blows struck at the supremacy of Sparta. 

No wonder, then, that a student of history should gaze with 
peculiar interest upon a field on which the destinies of states 
have been decided again and again, and whose soil has been 
stauied with blood shed in civil wars. The plain is indeed one 
most suitable for such contests. Its fertility, so far superior 
to that of most of the neighboring valleys, gave to Mantinea 
its high rank among the independent cities in Arcadia. Yet 
nothing, it seemed to me, could better illustrate the diminu- 
tive size of these states, so famous in ancient story, than the 
mere circumstance that Tegea and Mantinea, those determ- 
ined and implacable rivals, were separated from each other 
by an interval of only ten or twelve miles, which a horseman 
might easily traverse in little more than an hour. Had rail- 
roads been in use, the troops of one city might have been 
brought to the walls of the other in a quarter of that time. 
In view of the improvements of modern tactics, and especially 
the inventions of modern art, the misery arising from long-con- 
tinued hostilities, or from their frequent recurrence, must neces- 
sarily come to an end. If the implements of warfare are more 
deadly, the aggregate of happiness is much greater than when 
the peaceful pursuits of industry and agriculture were contin- 
ually disturbed by hostile inroads. Then the husbandman, 
who ventured out of sight of his native walls, fell into the 
hands of the predatory parties of the enemy. Battles, ordi- 
narily resulting in the loss of but a few citizens on either 
side, were frequently the means, not so much of terminating 
the conflict as of engendering yet deeper hostility in the minds 
of the people who had been injured, but who had not lost the 
hope of retaliation. Such are the reflections that can not but 
force themselves a hundred times upon even the most enthusi- 



180 MANTINEA TKIPOLITZA SPAETA. 

astic lover of antiquity, whether he may read the history of 
Greece, or whether, like myself, he may have the good fortune 
to tread its classic soil. 

The night overtook us on our way toward Tripolitza. 
Upon arriving, we found the town crowded with people from 
various neighboring villages, who had assembled to attend a 
fair on the morrow. They were collected in companies at 
the khans and drinking-shops, making merry with wine and 
music. Long after retiring for the night we heard their pro- 
tracted carousals. The panegyris, as these periodical assem- 
blages of people are styled, are occasions of great enjoyment 
among the inhabitants of the whole neighborhood. To them 
the blind bards, who occupy the place of the ancient rhapso- 
dists, flock in considerable numbers. In a hospitable khan, 
or in the open street, a crowd hangs on the minstrel's lips ; 
while he chants the heroic lay of some famous kleft, or re- 
counts the actions of the no less courageous citizens of Souli, 
who ofttimes, from their mountain fastness, repulsed the 
Pasha's troops. Then, again, a more lively theme excites to 
the dance, accompanied by the inharmonious notes of a rude 
guitar. These simple ballads, constituting at once the most 
correct history of a nation's feelings, and the most entertain- 
ing and popular portion of its literature, are but short-lived 
at best. Few of them reach the ears of the educated ; fewer 
still are ever committed to paper; and a score of years is 
often sufficient to obliterate the memory of those which have 
been most in vogue> A second generation of composers brings 
forth an entirely new series of poems on original topics. 

Tripolitza contains little or nothing suited to interest a 
stranger. It is an overgrown village rather than a town. 
Standing on the site of an ancient Arcadian city, Pallantium, 
it is entirely destitute of any classical remains. Yet Tripo- 
litza has played a most important part in the recent history 
of Greece. Even before the Revolution, its central situation 
in Peloponnesus, and the extraordinary salubrity and fertility 
of its environs, had induced the Pashas to make it the polit- 
ical capital of the province. It was said (but this, in all prob- 
ability, was an overstatement) to contain at that time a pop-' 
ulation of twenty thousand souls. In 1821, when the "ray- 



A SCENE OF CARNAGE. 181 

ahs," after their lethargic submission of more than three cen- 
turies, had suddenly, by a single exertion of their unsuspected 
strength, broken • asunder the slender cords with which the 
Sultan attempted to confine their vigorous limbs, the Turks 
fled in dismay to the open gates of Tripolitza. This city of- 
fered but a precarious defence. After a few months of negli- 
gent blockade, and one day of unremitted carnage, it fell a 
ready prey to an inferior Greek force. The streets swam 
with blood, and packs of half-famished dogs reveled upon the 
thirty thousand carcasses that choked the highways. The 
conquered were not spared by the sword ; and few, besides 
the commandant, escaped by an appeal^ to the avarice of their 
captors.* 

The scene was reversed in 1825, when Ibrahim Pasha in- 
vaded Greece with his Egyptian forces, and poured upon the 
wretched city the retribution to which he had long doomed it. 
The miserable inhabitants who escaped sought refuge in the 
mountains, where many perished of hunger. The rest for 
three long years from their haunts could espy the enemy in 
possession of their ancient homes. At length the treaty of 
pacification between Greece and Turkey put an end to their 
exile. The inhabitants once more gained possession of their 
deserted homes ; but the wounds which a resolute enemy can 
inflict in a few days or weeks require assiduous treatment for 
years. The town of Tripolitza can scarcely yet be termed 
convalescent. 

Our pack-horses were sent on by the direct road to Sparta, 
while we turned to the east, and crossed the Mantinean plain 
toward the ruins of Tegea, or, to speak more properly, toward 
its site. This place, like several others in the country, bears 
the name of Paleo Episcopi, from the only edifice in the vicin- 
ity, an old diocesan church. It appears to have been built in 
the early ages of Christianity, when the architects found an 
abundance of materials in the now forsaken temples of their 
heathen ancestors. Every thing from this convenient quarry 
came in good stead. A Corinthian pillar or a Doric column 

* This scene is described, with all its details of horror, in the account 
of an eye-witness contained in Aldenhoven's Itin€raire de VAttique et du 
Pdoponnese (Athenes, 1841), p. 271-4. 



182 MANTINEA TRIPOLITZ A SPARTA. 

were equally acceptable. Whether plain or fluted, they were 
placed side by side. Bas-reliefs representing pagan subjects 
were embedded in the walls on the outside, or, laid upon the 
ground with their faces downward, formed a cheap and ex- 
cellent floor. At Tegea the most important remains are some 
fragmentary inscriptions. Such are the few traces of a city, 
perhaps the most powerful in Arcadia, whose gallant warriors 
for six or seven generations withstood the famous troops of 
their neighboring and encroaching rivals, the Spartans. One 
of the expeditions of these restless enemies (about 580 B.C.) 
ended very disastrously for the invaders. The proud warriors 
who had so lately issued from their native city, flushed with 
the confident expectation of reducing the Tegeatans to peace 
and slavery, fell into the hands of those whom they had hoped 
to wrong. The Spartan, stripped of his burnished armor, was 
loaded with the very chains he had brought with him to fetter 
the enemy, and condemned, as a slave, to till for others the 
lands which he had too rashly expected to enjoy. The su- 
perstition of the age attributed this wonderful success to the 
possession of the bones of the ancient hero, Orestes, and sub- 
sequent reverses were ascribed to the loss of that palladium 
of Tegean liberties. 

After satisfying our curiosity with all that was to be seen, 
or imagined to exist on the spot, we found a narrow road 
that was to lead us to the more direct route from Tripolitza 
to Sparta, which our baggage had taken. In a field on our 
right we observed a country jiopas, or priest, engaged in hus- 
bandry with some half a dozen men and boys of his spiritual 
flock. He had probably induced them to work for him by 
ofiering them a more tangible recompense than masses or ab- 
solution ; for the Greek priesthood do not possess that almost 
unlimited influence which the Italian curate exercises over his 
ignorant and devout parishioners. They are usually attached 
to the people by the ties of fellow-feeling and intermarriage, 
and no despotism compels the unwilling service of the peas- 
antry. The vicinity abounded with plantations of the staphis, 
or currant, as yet scarce in leaf; and the wheat-flelds were 
full a month behind those of Attica. We shortly entered 
the ravine of the Sarandopotamos, a torrent which our guide 



BA'rrLE-FIELD OF SELLASIA. 183 

averred was so called from the forty times the road crosses it. 
in this wild district there were no bridges, and the horses 
were obliged every few minutes to wade through some branch, 
or the main stream itself. Hence a certain degree of judg- 
ment is necessary to select the most shallow parts of the 
stream ; for the track is often quite undistinguishable on the 
gravelly banks of the creek. The whole ride was desolate, and 
rarely picturesque. The only living beings we met during the 
course of the day were a few agoyates, with their heavy-laden 
beasts, who carry on almost the whole internal trade of the 
countiy as far as there exists any trade at all. We lunched 
at noon, and rested our horses a while near a cool spring ; 
then commenced a long, fatiguing, and uninteresting ascent 
of the mountainous country that divides Arcadia on the south 
from Laconia. Not only was the soil exceedingly barren and 
stony, but, from its height above the sea, the season was very 
backward. The oaks, of which there was a great abundance, 
had not yet put forth a single leaf. 

As we began the descent into the valley of the Eurotas, 
our guide pointed out to us on the left, at some distance be- 
low, the small valley supposed to be that of Sellasia, in or 
near which was fought, B.C. 222, a battle, where the power 
of Sparta received a mortal wound. The united armies of 
the Macedonian, Antigonus Doson, and of Aratus, head of 
the Achaean league, defeated the Spartan king, Cleomenes, 
at this outpost of Laconia ; and the ancient city of Leonidas 
and Pausanias never recovered its former influence. Wish- 
ing to ascertain how much my friend Nicholas knew of the 
historical incidents of the battle, I asked him to give me the 
best account of it he could. He confessed himself quite in 
the dark as to the matter, but thought that one of the war- 
riors who distinguished himself in the engagement was that 
famous old hero Agamemnon, whose tomb we had entered a 
few days before at Mycenae. On the whole, the tourist in 
either Greece or Italy may rely quite as much on the readi- 
ness of his guide's invention as on his historical accuracy. 

The day was fast hastening to its close when we reached 
the crest of the hills, whence the valley of Sparta suddenly 
bursts on the eye with its broad expanse of green fields and 



184 



SIANTTNEA ^TRIPOLITZA SPARTA. 




VIEW OF MOUNT TAYGETUS FEOM THE SITE OF SPAKTA. 



pastures, relieved by the rugged, snow-capped cliffs of Mount 
Taygetus. "We halted at the khan of Yourlia, intending to 
spend the night ; for the few hours of light would not allow 
us time to descend into the lower country. Before dismount- 
ing, however, we found that a detachment of soldiers had 
taken possession of our quarters, having been sent here to 
watch for robbers, who always appear first along the difficult 
passes of the mountains. Making a virtue of necessity, we 
pursued our way farther to the village itself, and soon fixed 
on one of the most respectable houses of the place as our 
lodging. As usual, Nicholas overcame any reluctance of the 
inmates by the promise of a small gratuity on the morrow. 
But the necessary arrangements of the landlord and the un- 
packing of the baggage occupied considerable time, and allow- 
ed us to disperse through the village, and sit down a while to 
enjoy the extensive and delightful prospect. The old town of 
Mistra appeared in the distance, on the sides and top of a steep 
hill that seemed close upon Mount Taygetus. Thither it was 
that the inhabitants of Sparta betook themselves, leaving their 
ancient home to fall into ruin and desolation. But within 
some years a new town has risen on the old site, and threat- 
ens to eclipse its neighbor. The government has made new 
Sparta the capital of one of the nomes of the kingdom ; and 



A PORTABLE CKADLK. 185 

a number of white houses might be discerned somewhat to 
the left of Mistra, marking the new settlement. The aspect 
of the Yourliote women afforded us some amusement. Their 
dress was not very different from that which prevails in some 
other localities we had passed through ; but they are accus- 
tomed to carry their infants in a sort of cradle upon their 
backs. The construction is very simple. A square piece of 
cloth, very thick and stiff, is supported by thongs inserted in 
the four corners, and these are made fast around the nurse's 
shoulders, much after the manner of a knapsack. In the 
trough thus formed the baby is laid, and the wonder is why it 
does not slip out. Whether such accidents are expected to 
occur from time to time, I was not informed. The mother, 
thus freed from all solicitude for her infant charge, moves 
about the house with activity, and engages with ease in her 
various occupations. 

Our host proved to be a physician. A number of his med- 
ical books were lying about, being a nearer approach to a li- 
brary than we had met with since leaving Athens. Our quar- 
ters, though of limited extent, were good. As for the agoyates, 
they generally slept wherever they could find a convenient 
spot. If the night was cool and the region elevated, they re- 
treated within doors, and formed a ring around the hearth. 
But if, as to-night at Vourlia, the cold was not too severe, 
they preferred wrapping their shaggy capotes about them and 
lying down on the porch in the open air. No wonder that 
they do not catch cold, for their covering is intolerably thick, 
and no part of the face appears from beneath it. I have fre- 
quently stumbled over them unwittingly of an evening. Their 
horses, if they find no better place, are tied to some neighbor- 
ing tree. 

Before leaving Vourlia, we held a consultation as to our fu- 
ture course. We had intended, after visiting Sparta, to cross 
Taygetus to Calamas; but the mountain pass, we were as- 
sured, was at this season impracticable for our horses, though 
mules could take us over it. We should, therefore, be com- 
pelled to wait a day at Calamas, while the horses made a two 
days' circuit of the mountain. It was decided, accordingly, 
to forego this part of our tour, and turn northward instead, 



186 MAN'^NEA ^TKIPOLITZA—SPARTA. 

to see the ruins of Megalopolis, which had not entered into our 
original plan. The baggage at an early hour was sent off 
directly across the head of the valley of the Eurotas, to the 
small hamlet of Georgitzi, where it arrived within a few 
hours. The ride from Vourlia to Sparta occupied us little 
more than three hours. "We first descended through the deep 
gorges of the mountains ; but presently reached the large and 
clear stream Eurotas, coming from the northwest. At length 
we arrived at Sparta, on the right bank of the river. The 
northern part of the site is undulating, and the rest, where 
stands the modern town, quite level. On the opposite bank 
the ground rises in high, reddish hills, supposed to be the 
Menelseum. The view from this spot toward the west is one 
of the most beautiful that can be imagined, where Taygetus 
rises against the dark-blue sky. Below, five hills, less ele- 
vated, stand in a line, and receive, from their particular form 
and number, the collective designation of " Pentedactylon," 
or "the five fingers." 

Few cities awaken at the very mention of their names so 
much interest as Sparta : a state v/hose predominance over 
its neighbors was secured by the courage of its well-disciplined 
and patriotic soldiers ; whose gallant citizens were ever prompt 
to pour out their life's blood in defence of their country and 
their ancestral institutions ; whose kings were not above la- 
bor for the common weal; whose chivalrous youth were a 
sufficient protection for their unfortified capital; whose wo- 
men could boast that they had never descried the smoke of an 
enemy's camp-fires on the adjoining plain! Such a state 
must elicit the enthusiasm of mankind, so long as there exists 
a spark of the old martial spirit. It is natural, then, to feel 
disappointment when, after a pilgrimage of some days, the 
traveler finds little to mark the site of so important a city, 
and nothing to illustrate former greatness. We discovered a 
theatre of large size by the banks of the Eurotas ; but, as in 
the case of similar remains elsewhere, it was only the general 
contour of the interior, and the walls supporting the base, that 
were visible. As for the seats of the spectators, they had 
long since disappeared, many of them incorporated in some 
modern building, and others burned into lime. The whole 



SITE OF ANCIENT SPARTA. 187 

cavea was sown with wheat, in the midst of which, here and 
there, jutted forth some fragment of ancient statuary or de- 
faced marble. We sat down to look about us, and identify, 
as far as might be, the various ruins laid down on the charts 
of preceding travelers. These were numerous enough, and of 
all kinds, but principally of Roman structure, mingled with 
those of the Middle Ages. Every where were to be seen 
great walls, many of them composed of ancient fragments im- 
bedded among more recent materials. In one a row or two 
of the drums of columns supplied the place of some courses of 
masonry. I wandered over the hillocks and down to the riv- 
er's edge. Along the bank stretches a level piece of ground, 
which, from the direction of the hills, takes very much the 
shape of a stadium or clromos of large size. It was here, prob- 
ably, that the Spartan youth of yore were accustomed to prac- 
tice all the exercises useful for a warlike education, and to en- 
gage in trials of speed. 

On the whole, save a multitude of tottering walls, there is 
comparatively little of interest to distinguish the site of this 
famous city. These vestiges date only from the Roman pe- 
riod, when the glory of her ancient renown had forever de- 
parted from Sparta. It may be confidently asserted that lit- 
tle or nothing exists to remind one of the city of Pausanias 
and Leonidas. Of city walls there are none, the laws of Ly- 
curgus having prohibited their erection. Of decorated build- 
ings there are none, the Dorians having been early taught to 
repudiate all love of the beautiful, with whatever tends to pol- 
ish and refine, and reckon every thing useless that did not per- 
tain to the science of warfare. Their oligarchy, as a contem- 
porary essayist has well remarked, was a perpetual ostracism 
of all merit that was not military. It never permitted the full 
and healthful development of the arts, the pursuit of war be- 
ing esteemed the only honorable employment for a freeman. 

Our guide, Nicholas, had an acquaintance in the modern 
village, and led us to his neat white house, where we lunched 
and spent an hour in the middle of the day. The weather 
was already very warm upon the plains, and it became not 
only unpleasant, but even perilous, to expose ourselves to the 
noonday sun. I bore a letter of introduction from Mr. Pie- 



188 MANTINEA ^TRIPOLITZA SPARTA, 

raches, the representative of this district, and a member of the 
extremely powerful Maniote family, Mavromichales, to a gen- 
tleman of the place ; but as he was out, I failed to see him. 
Modern Sparta has been founded since the Revolution, and 
already, according to mine host, outnum-bers its more ancient 
rival, Mistra. He gives to the former fifteen hundred, and to 
the latter only one thousand inhabitants. The central gov- 
ernment, which has sought to rebuild all the more famous 
cities of Greece, as if their ancient renown could be restored 
by the mere erection of modern dwellings on the site, has de- 
termined that Sparta shall be symmetrically laid out, and has 
provided a public square for the promotion of the recreation 
of the inhabitants. Our host was an intelligent native of Pa- 
tras, and Nicholas counted him a relation, as he had stood 
godfather to one of his children. The connection thus formed, 
he assured me, is as close as the relation of parent and off- 
spring, and more sacred. The latter is only natural, while 
the other is holy and perpetual. It is a well-known fact, to 
which I have before alluded, that marriage between those who 
are bound to each other by such ties is forbidden by the canons 
of the " Orthodox" Church, as much as those coming within 
the interdicted degrees of consanguinity. 

From Sparta we again bent our steps northward. JUst 
outside the village we passed the so-called " Tomb of Leoni- 
das," which seems to have been nothing more than a plat- 
form and a single course of stone belonging to a temple or 
other ancient edifice. The stones composing it measure, some 
of them, twelve or fourteen feet in length. Farther on, a 
small boy told us that a sarcophagus had within a fortnight 
been discovered in the vicinity, and led us to it. The upper 
part of the front, which alone had been exposed to view by 
the removal of the earth, sufiiciently exhibited the excellent 
preservation of the whole. It was some ten feet long, adorn- 
ed at the ends and in the middle with figures of bulls' heads, 
having crossed horns intertwined with curls and pine cones. 
The spaces between were occupied by two large rosettes. 
According to our informant, the owner of the vineyard where 
this sarcophagus was found, wished to incorporate the vener- 
able relic in a new house which he was building. Fortu- 



INTERIOR OF A COTTAGE. 189 

nately, the law provides that several weeks shall elapse before 
any person shall so appropriate a discovery of the kind, in or- 
der that the superintendent of antiquities may have the oppor- 
tunity of saving it from destruction if he deem it worthy of 
preservation. 

Our road to Georgitzi wound along the banks of the Eu- 
rotas. Soon we left the plain of Sparta, entering a valley 
more narrow, and well covered with an undergrowth of small 
trees and shrubs. On the opposite side of the river there ran 
along the water's edge several tiers of hewn stone, forming a 
sort of wall or wharf — the only vestiges of Pellana. We 
passed through several plantations of thriving mulberry-trees 
set out in the midst of fields. 

Janni, or Merdzianni, our Arab cook, following out the in- 
structions he had received, had, as we found, established him- 
self with our effects in the best cottage he could procure in the 
village of Georgitzi, and was busily engaged in preparations 
for our evening meal. Let me describe the house and its in- 
mates. They will give a fair idea of the average dwellings 
and the lower class of the population of Greece. 

The whole building, about thirty feet long and twelve or 
fifteen wide, was formed of rough stone, except the roof, con- 
structed of boards, upon which the tiles reposed. A single 
room composed the interior. On the right of the door there 
had been built a square platform of boards, raised three or 
four feet above the clay floor, and attainable by means of a 
small rickety ladder. Upon this our beds had been spread 
out ; and here we ate off the portable table that accompanied 
us every where. Meanwhile the culinary operations might be 
watched at the other end of the room, where a fire had been 
kindled on the large stone hearth. The smoke found its way 
out, partly through the interstices of the tiles, partly through 
the paneless windows and the door. Around the cook were 
grouped a goodly number of Greeks, men and women, eating 
and drinking, and making a very babel of the place as they 
waxed joyous over their wine. From time to time, a crowd 
of children, and grown people too, might be observed peering 
through the door, or even intruding into our small apartment, 
in order to have a look at the " Frank milords." Ever and 



190 MANTINEA TRIPOLITZA SPARTA. 

anon Nicholas, by dint of threat or entreaty, would clear 
them from the door; but they speedily resumed their posts 
of observation, with such perfect nonchalance and good hu- 
mor, that we were fain to permit the gratification of their cu- 
riosity. 

Around the room, as usual, were to be seen some of the 
products of the neighborhood. Often there will be a large 
heap of cotton, whose picking provides ample employment for 
the women during the winter months. In autumn one corner 
is filled with golden ears of Indian corn. Over our heads 
were hanging from the rafters a number of wide and shallow 
wicker baskets, in which the silkworms were feeding. Al- 
ready a chrysalis or two might be seen suspended by its del- 
icate constructor from the lower sides of the tiles of the roof, 
through the intervals of which, when night fell, the moon- 
beams gleamed in upon us. 

On the whole, I must say, the cottages of the Greek peas- 
antry are remarkably wanting in the air of comfort which a 
few slight improvements might readily impart. No neat gar- 
den, with its wall-flowers garnishing the border, and the wood- 
bine or honeysuckle climbing over a rustic porch, is to be seen, 
as in England, before the door of the most humble laborer. 
Few domestic animals are kept, except fierce watch-dogs for 
protection, who greet the traveler in packs as often as he has 
occasion to enter a village. Even to the rearing of the hon- 
ey-bee, for which the country is admirably adapted, the peo- 
ple of Pelopomiesus pay comparatively little attention ; and 
a neat row of hives is rarely met with in that district. The 
few that you will find are made of osier baskets, merely plas- 
tered over with mud or clay and dried in the sun ; and per- 
haps they answer the purpose well enough. This is one of 
not a few instances in which contrivances of a manufacture 
as simple as that of Homeric times are still commonly 
employed. Small, too, are the substantial comforts with 
which the laboring man's home is provided. Of furniture 
there is little except the mere utensils indispensable for cook- 
ing; and as the diet of the poor is simple and light, their 
number is restricted wdthin a narrow compass. The articles 
we esteem as almost necessary to existence are wanting. Such 



COTTAGE FURNITURE. 191 

a thing as a bedstead can not, I presume, be met with in a peas- 
ant's house from one end of Greece to the other. The poor 
consider themselves very fortunate if they can purchase some 
matting on which to lie. The greater part, so far as I know, 
are obliged to content themselves with the great shaggy coats, 
or capotas, in which they wrap themselves, and suffer little 
from the dampness of the bare ground. At the same time, 
the want of cleanliness pervading the houses makes them an 
object of disgust to every person who has not become accus- 
tomed to the sight. 




THE 6BEAT GATE OF MESSBNE. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



MEGALOPOLIS AND MESSENE, 

Before leaving tlie retired hamlet of Georgitzana, we had 
ocular proof of the sensation excited by our arrival among the 
rustic population of this place, lying off from the usual lines 
of travel. At one time I counted no fewer than thirty-eight 
persons, chiefly women and children, all apparently intent 
upon seeing the strangers. The female part of this assem- 
blage, engaged in spreading the news or scandal of the vil- 
lage, were scarcely less busy with the spindle and distaff, 
their never-failing resource in moments of leisure. 

From Georgitzana our route lay in a northwesterly direc- 
tion, across the hilly and undulating country separating Lace- 
daemonia from Arcadia, and kept Mount Taygetus on the 
left. A more frequented road leads to the pass of Leondari, 
which we did not visit. The country traversed was well 
wooded and picturesque, but sustains a veiy small popula- 
tion. The maple, the plane-tree, the wild olive, the oak, and 
the walnut abound. Cattle, though remarkably small, were 
more numerous than in any part of Greece I had hitherto 
crossed. We came to no khan on our way, and accordingly 
rested at noon under some large plane-trees near a cool spring 



THE *' GREAT CITY." 193 

of water, whose stream finds its way to the Eurotas. At 
about three in the afternoon we began our descent toward 
Megalopolis, which occupies the centre of a large valley to- 
ward the southwestern corner of Arcadia. It appeared ex- 
ceedingly beautiful ; the more so, perhaps, because the ster- 
ility of the rocky mountains that gird it is concealed by a 
growth of forest trees, in some places quite dense. The val- 
ley seemed to be some eight miles long by six wide. Its soil 
was very fertile, and cultivated with wheat. A single cy- 
press, rising above the centre of Sinano, guided us thither ; for 
during much of the time there was no road to follow. At 
an intermediate village we halted for a moment, while Nich- 
olas accosted the Demark, and endeavored to obtain lodgings 
for ourselves and our suite. He was urgent in his claim, and 
supported it by representations of our fancied greatness and 
high rank in our respective countries. But it may be fairly 
questioned whether his success was attributable to any credit 
given by the Demark to our guide's high-sounding praises, or 
to the hospitable disposition which is common to all Greeks. 

Riding about ten minutes to the north of the village of Si- 
nano, we reached the site of Megalopolis. It occupied both 
banks of the Helisson, a small creek tributary to the Alpheus, 
which it joins a few miles to the westward. The ruins most 
distinctly traceable were those of the Theatre, the largest 
building of the kind, as Pausanias tells us, in Greece. It 
seems to have been not less than four hundred and eighty feet 
in diameter, and capable of seating some ten or fifteen thou- 
sand spectators. The opposite bank is covered with a con- 
fused mass of walls and rubbish, among which the site of the 
ancient forum has been sought. But it was sufficient for us 
to know that here it was that Epaminondas, that greatest of 
ancient statesmen, founded a city designed to act as a check 
on the overgrown power of Sparta. Within its walls were 
collected, by his advice, a great part of the inhabitants of al- 
most every town in Arcadia, who gave to their new home the 
emphatic name of the " Great City." 

While my companions were indulging in a bath in the cool 
waters of the Helisson, I was accosted by a couple of Greeks 
of the better class, who proved to be a justice of the peace, 

I 



194 MEaALOPOLIS AND MESSENE. 

and the teacher of the pubUc school. The latter, a fine-look- 
ing young man, told me that he had left the University at 
Athens only last year, and he appeared much interested in 
learning that I had been attending lectures there. Some of 
his scholars were with him, looking at the remains of ancient 
works, with which they had probably been familiar ever since 
infancy. They were unusually polite, and gave us considera- 
ble information about the place, whose name they pronounced 
as if it were written Shinano, by a corruption which in Greece, 
as in Italy, seems to be confined to certain localities. On 
hearing that I came from America, they plied me with geo- 
graphical questions. They seemed especially pleased to find 
out that our continent was actually on the opposite side of the 
globe, as they had been taught at school, but had scarcely been 
able to believe. Accompanied by quite a number of our new 
friends, we retraced our steps to Sinano, where, meanwhile, 
suitable provision had been made for our entertainment. On 
the way thither, a shepherd-boy, who was feeding his flock 
near our path, ran up to ofier some small copper coins for 
sale. They were scarcely legible ; but he assured us he had 
picked them up himself, and so we took them. The conse- 
quence was, that within an hour the door of our lodging-place 
was besieged by a host of curiosity-mongers, bringing with 
them various articles of interest, which they begged us to pur- 
chase. 

In starting from Megalopolis on the next day, we turned to 
the southwest ; and after some miles' ride over the plain, came 
to the mountains that divide Arcadia from Messenia. The 
passage was long and difficult, the descent being very tedious 
into the plain. About half way, our progress was impeded by 
a procession, or what seemed to be such, coming up the mount- 
ain in the opposite direction. Women and children were gen- 
erally huddled together on the backs of mules, which were be- 
sides overloaded with quantities of clothes, cooking utensils, 
fire-arms, and, in short, with every thing necessary to furnish 
the hut of a Moreote tsimpanes. It turned out that we had 
met one of those yearly migi^ations of the nomadic shepherds, 
who in the spring forsake their villages in the plain to pasture 
their flocks or cultivate the higher lands. On inquiry, we 



MESSENIAN PLAIN. 195 

found that the caravan was composed of as many as fifty-six 
families, and that the next day was to be their great annual 
feast in honor of St. George, who may be considered their pa- 
tron saint. These migrations take place more or less gener- 
ally in all parts of the country ; even the husbandmen lea\ing 
their villages in the spring, and spending a few days or weeks 
in ploughing and sowing their arable lands on the mountains. 
This done, they descend to the plains, arid perhaps have no 
farther occasion to return until their fields are ready for har- 
vesting. For their accommodation, they usually erect a sum- 
mer village — a rude collection of stone hovels, given up more 
than three fourths of the year to the vermin, which, from the 
slovenly habits of the people, are sufficiently numerous to form 
a large, if not respectable, population. 

The pass is called Dervenia — a Turkish word signifying a 
defile — and is guarded by an effective corps of five or six sol- 
diers, whom we found fast asleep within the guard-house. In 
Peloponnesus the soldiery find little occupation ; for of late 
years robberies have scarcely occurred there, except in the 
neighborhood of Calamas. In Northern G-reece they are more 
busily employed ; but, unfortunately, it is generally the case 
that when depredations are committed, the soldiers reach the 
scene of action just after the marauders have left ; affording 
the villagers the poor consolation of a detachment quartered 
on them for several days. 

Leaving the mountains, we entered upon the valley of Mes- 
senia, watered by the River Pamisus (now called Dipotamo), 
flowing into the Messenian Gulf. So well irrigated is this 
plain, and so fertile the soil, that it may doubtless be consid- 
ered the garden of Greece, and almost every inch of ground is 
carefully cultivated. Mount Ithome forms the opposite side 
of the valley, but we found no road leading thither. Nicholas 
was not over anxious to look for one, but struck boldly at 
once through the fields in a " bee line" for the place of our 
destination. In spring, when the fields are ploughed, the 
farmer takes no pains to preserve the path of the preceding 
year, and expects that travelers will make a new one for them- 
selves. No guide, therefore, can remember the location of the 
old road ; and the common practice is to ride directly through 



196 MEGALOPOLIS AND JVIESSENE. 

the fields, whether they be wheat, barley, or any thing else, 
without the least compunction. At first I was quite solicitous 
about the injury our horses' hoofs would occasion to the young 
grain ; but as the cultivators we passed seemed quite indifier- 
ent to the matter, I soon lost all concern. This morning, 
however, our progress was frequently interrupted by numer- 
ous ditches for draining or irrigating the country ; and we 
were obliged to skirt them until we could reach a favorable 
spot for leaping or fording. 

We passed a village bearing the name of Meligala, but saw 
little in the appearance of its inhabitants to indicate the pros- 
perity alluded to in its appellation (" milk and honey"). Soon 
after, the ascent began. Our baggage-horses and their drivers 
had meanwhile taken a circuitous but much easier road around 
the northern side of the mountain of Ithome, and were to stop, 
if they could find lodgings, at the small village of Mavromati, 
within the walls of the ancient Messene. At the notch sep- 
arating Mount Ithome from the pointed but somewhat lower 
head of Mount Evan on the south, and just above a monas- 
tery, we dismounted, and left our horses with the guide, to 
take them down to the village. 

On the lower part of Mount Evan began the first traces of 
the v/alls, where we noticed particularly a window of shape 
somewhat peculiar, and overgrown with bushes and thorny 
shrubs. Thence we followed the line of the fortifications, in- 
terrupted occasionally by towers and gates, running up the 
crest of Mount Ithome. The ascent was very tedious. The 
path is steep, and the elevation very considerable. Over a 
stony gi'ound covered with bushes of the prickly oak, which 
flourishes here, in connection with the yellow flowered broom, 
and under a burning sun, it was, perhaps, three quarters of 
an hour before we stood on the summit. This is occupied by 
an old ruined convent, whose ivy-grown walls we climbed to 
enjoy a view extending over the whole of Messenia. To the 
south and southeast lay the wide Gulf of Messenia or Coron, 
bounded on the east by the highlands of Maina, as far as Cape 
Grosso, by which all farther prospect was cut off. Nearer 
came the town of Calamas, on the shore of the gulf, and the 
intervening luxuriant plain watered by the Pamisus, which 



STEUGGLES OP FREEDOM. 197 

originates in a large marsh to the north. Toward the south 
and west the prospect was hemmed in by mountains, the in- 
tervening country being very hilly. Only to the northwest 
could we catch a glimpse of the Ionian Sea, and apparently 
of the island of Zante in the midst. Of the whole picture the 
snow-capped range of Taygetus was the most striking feature. 

The monastery bears the same name as the more modern 
one below — Panagia of Vurcano. It is so called from a cer- 
tain miraculous image of the blessed Virgin that used, as they 
say, to appear to shepherds in this neighborhood. Notwith- 
standing the sanctity of the spot, which was reputed to be so 
near to heaven, the old monks found the situation rather too 
airy; perhaps, also, the steep ascent was too difficult for their 
asthmatic corpulency. Hence the erection of the lower edi- 
fice. We entered the silent rooms and courts ; but the most 
interesting part, the church, was closed. On the M'^alls we 
found a curious tablet full of misspellings, and partly written 
in characters similar to inscriptions of an early date. But it 
was evidently the work of some illiterate monk. 

There is no spot where the friend of freedom stands with a 
prouder feeling than on the summit of this rocky hill. Other 
localities have been noted for feats of valor, and have been the 
theatres of glorious successes. Greece may boast of her Ther- 
mopylae and Marathon, and cover the graves of Leonidas the 
Spartan and Miltiades the Athenian with laurel wreaths and 
flowers. But Ithome was Avitness to a struggle all the more 
affecting because of its sad issue. It was the scene of a con- 
flict in which a brave people, never despairing of their coun- 
try's salvation, animated with indomitable courage and unex- 
ampled endurance, in cool blood made a choice of death to 
slavery. Three times, after long wars, were the inhabitants 
overcome by force of numbers or the treachery of their allies ; 
and finally they were compelled to succumb to the ambition 
and rapacity of their grasping neighbors, the Spartans. Most 
of the fugitives emigrated; and some found a refuge in the 
city of Messana, in Sicily. But when the Thebans had by a 
single blow, at Leuctra, prostrated the long-established power 
of Lacedaemon, Epaminondas proved, from interest, a friend to 
the Messenians, as he had been to the Arcadians. He pur- 



198 MEGALOPOLIS AND MESSENE. 

sued in this instance the same shrewd policy, and showed 
himself the first master of the balance of power. To curb 
the strength of their overgrown neighbor, he surrounded Man- 
tinea with new w^alls, levied contributions of colonists from 
every city in Arcadia for the new capital of Megalopolis, and 
reassembling the dispersed inhabitants of Messenia, built them 
a large and strongly fortified city on and about Ithome, to 
which now for the first time he gave the name of Messene. 
The existing remains date, almost without exception, from , 
this period. 

It was growing dark, and we hurried toward the village, 
making short cuts down the precipitous side of the mountain. 
On our way, and just before reaching the village, we were ac- 
costed by a lad who informed me that our whole caravan had 
gone up to the monastery, not having succeeded in finding ac- 
commodations in the village. "All the houses," said he, " are 
'crowded with the peasantry of the neighborhood. All from 
far and near are coming to celebrate a panegyri in honor of 
St. George to-morrow." So we must needs w^end our way 
back again, and it was late when we gained admittance to the 
cloister, after a number of vain attempts to make ourselves 
heard at the gate. Our guide made the best apology he could 
for not having let us know of the change in our destination ; 
but his excuses were unanimously voted unsatisfactory, nor 
was any sort of good humor restored to one, at least, of our 
number, until we had partaken of our evening meal. The 
monastery was, as usual, built about a court, with galleries 
running around it, upon which the rooms opened. A cham- 
ber was assigned to us in an upper story, where we seated 
ourselves on a wide divan Avith two or three monks who came 
in to chat with us. As they knew no language but their own, 
I was obliged to act as interpreter for the company. Conver- 
sation naturally turned on the monastery and its inmates. 
They told me there were but fifteen monks all told, besides 
servants and novices, and that the revenues, which were but 
small, were yielded by several estates of land, or metochia, 
farmed for their benefit. The abbot was at the time absent 
superintending some of this property. Our farther inquiries 
were at length interrupted by the tardy arrival of our din- 



STADIUM OF MESSENE. 199 

ner, and our new friends would not accept an invitation to 
join us. 

We were up on the morrow in time to step into the small 
church of the monastery, where morning prayers were being 
recited. It is a curious place, walls and ceiling being orna- 
mented with odd fresco paintings, half effaced in many places, 
and full two or three hundred years old. The entrance is 
decorated with representations of the zodiac and of numerous 
saints. While the agoyates were loading the horses, my com- 
panions and I set out to see the existing ruins of Messene. 
On the way we passed the foundation of some temple, whose 
site is either not marked, or wrongly located in all the plans 
of the city we had examined. A number of persons came 
out to meet us with various coins found in the neighborhood, 
some of which, being in a good state of preservation, we took. 
On our descent we passed through the village of Mavromati, 
so called from its spring, the ancient Clepsydra, in which it 
was fabled that Jupiter bathed for the first time. The re- 
mains of the old theatre consisted chiefly of a great wall sup- 
porting its foundation, built in the same manner as the city 
walls we had examined yesterday on the mountain. The 
face of each stone, instead of presenting a flat and even sur- 
face, was rounded, so as to bulge out considerably toward the 
centre. Farther down we found several walls, and then the 
remnants of a double portico of columns three feet or more 
in diameter, which ran around three sides of the stadium or 
race-course. This, consequently, served' for the reception of 
the crowds that flocked to see the games, and afforded an 
agreeable shelter in either rainy or very warm weather. Of 
the stadium itself there remain a considerable number of 
stone seats, with much of the walls, and the Doric capitals 
of the portico. A striking effect is produced by the small 
stream, which is now diverted from its ancient course, and 
pours directly down from the village into the stadium, where 
it runs over the seats and through the arena. Our explora- 
tions were diversified by the discovery and capture of a large, 
but, I believe, not a dangerous, snake, which I noticed creep- 
ing through the high grass. The reptile measured about four 
feet in length. 



200 MEGALOPOLIS AND MESSENE. 

"We returned through the fields to the village, where, after 
a peep into the old fountain, we mounted our horses, which 
were in waiting, and rode by the northern road along the side 
of ithome nearly a mile, when we reached the famous Gate 
of Megalopolis. This unique specimen of Greek military archi- 
tecture is not composed of a single portal, but of two gate- 
ways separated from each other by a circular court sixty-two 
feet across. Both were undoubtedly closed by ponderous 
brazen gates, and the exterior of these was flanked by pro- 
jections of the walls, from the top of which the "besieged 
could annoy those of their enemies who had the temerity to 
approach. But even should the outermost gate be forced, the 
assailants would find themselves inclosed in a small court, 
where a hundred unseen hands would be pouring down upon 
them a volley of stones, arrows, and other missiles ; and the 
second portal would be no less difficult to break through than 
the first. The court is regularly built in courses of smooth 
stone; and the walls, still remaining about fifteen feet high, 
are adorned with two niches for statues. The lintel of the 
exterior gateway has been destroyed ; that which surmounted 
the entrance from the city has merely fallen, from the giving 
way of the supports on one side. Strange to say, in this fall 
the huge mass of stone received no fracture, and noAV stands 
in an inclined position, with one end resting on the ground. 
On measuring it, we found this single block to be eighteen 
feet nine inches long, four feet wide, and two feet four inches 
thick — dimensions rivaling those of the far-famed Cyclopean 
works. This gate was undoubtedly built in the time of 
Epaminondas. An adjoining tower which we entered was 
very perfectly preserved. Its form was square, and twenty- 
two courses of masonry could be counted. We gained access 
to the interior by a door from the wall, and found, within, a 
room, fifteen or twenty feet square, of rough stone. There 
were two windows high up, and two embrasures, or openings, 
for the archers to shoot through, much resembling those now 
in use, being narrow on the outside and wider within, so as to 
allow greater freedom of action. Earthquakes have wrought 
sad mischief here, and trees and plants have grown up about 
the structure. Our guide would scarcely allow us the time 



Rustic avonderment. 



201 



to examine with care these ancient ruins and transfer their 
appearance to paper. So we pushed on with more regret at 
leaving Messene than perhaps any site we had visited since 
we left Athens. 

We were to have gone on directly to Dragoi, or Tragoge ; 
but, descending into the plain of the Pamisus, J.'s horse had 
the misfortune to wrench off one of his shoes and cut his foot 
badly. Nicholas knew nothing of horse-shoeing, and, indeed, 
prided himself on his ignorance. Our only resource was to 
deviate considerably from our track to the right, and hunt up 
the blacksmith of Meligala. This took some time ; for it was 
St. George's Day, and the smith was reluctant to perform any 
work. Meanwhile, we sat in a neighboring khan, and soon be- 
held a crowd of gaping countiymen collected about the doors, 
to whom our coming furnished a rare staple of conversation. 
As they supposed us, like the generality of travelers, entirely 
ignorant of their dialect, their comments were quite free. In 
short, our whole equipment underwent a rigid review, and of 
each article of dress they expressed their approval or dislike. 
What most excited the interest of the spectators was a gutta- 
percha riding-whip, which H. carried and twisted into all pos- 




ITHOME, FEOM THE STADIUM OF MESSENE. 

T v> 



20:2 MEGALOPOLIS AND MESSENE. 

sible shapes, to the no small wonder of the peasants, who ex- 
pected to see it break at every moment. They were a little 
disconcerted on discovering, as we were about to leave, that 
we could understand what they said. About one o'clock we 
got under way again, and, having yet seven hours of travel- 
ing, rode as fast as we could across the plain in a direct line 
to Constantino, a village with Turkish fortifications, by which 
we passed to the opposite side of the valley of the Pamisus, 
and commenced the ascent of a part of Mount Teifagi. The 
acclivity was very difficult and tiresome, as was the descent 
on the opposite side. It was already dark when we reached 
the bank of the Bouzi, the ancient Neda, and crossed it. 
Presently we overtook our baggage-horses and their drivers, 
like ourselves benighted on the mountains. They had lost 
much time on the way, not knowing the roads. We now 
came to a ravine, which, being a little difficult to cross, de- 
tained us an hour in the cold, while our guide went off" to 
call a shepherd to show us the way. At length we reached 
the Khan of Dragoi. 




TEMPLE OF APOLLO EPICUKIUS AT BASS^ 



CHAPTER XV. 



PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

Our stay at the khan of Dragoi was somewhat longer than 
we had anticipated. We were all exhausted with yesterday's 
work, and felt reluctant to set out again. Indeed, J. was in- 
dignant that the guide should call us at four o'clock, and 
vowed that he for one would not get up. Seeing the rest 
of us nearly ready, however, he thought better of it, and con- 
cluded to terminate his slumbers. Still it was seven o'clock 
before we started. 

The village of Dragoi, or Tragoge, is composed of scarce 
more than half a dozen houses or huts, in the best of which 
we lodged last night. The hill on which Phigalea was built 
we saw at a distance to the west. It is crowned with an 
acropolis of Cyclopean masonry. As it offered nothing of 
much interest, we began ascending the mountain on the east, 
and in about an hour and a half reached the temple we were 
in search of, situated a little below the summit, but command- 
ing a very fine view southward to Mount Ithome, and west- 
ward toward the city of Arcadia on the sea-shore. To-day, 
however, the atmosphere was not at all clear, on account of 
the warm and disagreeable Sirocco wind, which had been blow- 
ing without intermission for the last three days. Though it 



204 PHIGALEAj OLYJyiPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

does not produce the same bad effects as in Arabia and Afri- 
ca, its presence is at once detected by the difficulty experi- 
enced in respiration, and by the very hazy and indistinct ap- 
pearance it imparts to all distant objects, and especially to 
the mountains, without the intervention of any clouds. 

The Temple of Apollo Epicurius of Bassse we examined with 
much interest, both because it was built by Ictinus, architect 
of the Parthenon, and because its parts are more distinctly 
traceable than those of any other Grecian temple. It is an 
edifice of the Doric order, not of the largest size, being only 
one hundred and twenty-six feet long and forty-eight feet 
wide. The row of columns that ran around the building, and 
formed a continuous portico, is entire, with the exception of 
three that have fallen. Each front was supported by six col- 
umns. Behind these two more stood before the entrance to 
the body or cella, the position of whose walls is now marked 
only by a course or two of stones. The floor of the temple 
has an oblong depression, some thirty-three feet long, in the 
centre.* Here the great statue of Apollo must have stood, 
until it was removed to grace the city of Megalopolis, only 
seventy years after the foundation of the temple. Around 
this spot we noticed the lower parts of five half columns on 
either side. They formed the supports of a small interior 
portico ; but the statue itself was uncovered. All the statu- 
ary of this beautiful temple has been removed to the British 
Museum, where the beauty of the sculpture, added to the re- 
markable purity of the Parian marble, make it conspicuous 
among the Greek antiquities. The lonely site of this struc- 
ture, on this high and barren Arcadian mountain, remote even 
in ancient times from any large village, strikes one as very 
singular. It is, however, referable to the fact that this temple 
was erected by the inhabitants of Phigalea, a town some miles 
distant, to commemorate their deliverance, through the sup- 
posed intercession of Apollo, from a devastating pestilence. In 
an architectural point of view, its most salient peculiarity is 

* Many archasologists suppose that these depressions were made for 
the purpose of retaining the liquids that were often poured over ivory 
statues, to prevent decomposition occasioned by exposure to the atmos- 
phere in an open court. 



BANKS OF THE ALPHEUS* 205 

the form of the columns, which taper perhaps more than 
those of any other Greek edifice, and closely resemble those 
at Psestum. 

Having satisfied om' curiosity by this inspection, we returned 
a part of the way toward our last night's resting-place, and 
then commenced a fresh ascent. At the end of two or three 
hours we reached the large village of Andritzena, beautiful- 
ly situated on the northern slope of a hill, facing the valley 
of the Eiver Alpheus.* Though very straggling, it was cer- 
tainly the largest and neatest place we had passed through since 
leaving Sparta. It is said to have been entirely destroyed by 
the Turks during the Revolution, when this part of Pelopon- 
nesus suffered most severely from the ravages of Ibrahim Pa- 
sha and his Egyptian troops. We sat in a private house to 
lunch, and while our horses were resting were accosted by a 
Roman exile, who had fled hither after the suppression of lib- 
erty in his native city. Few of these refugees have penetrated 
so far into the interior, though many are inhabitants of Athens. 

The prospect as we commenced the descent was lovely ; it 
extended for a considerable distance over the beautiful valley 
of the Alpheus to the hills beyond, surmounted by the snowy 
head of Olonus. In the valley we entered upon a paradise 
of flowers. No part of Greece is more plentifully clothed 
with vegetation, and almost none contains a smaller popula- 
tion in proportion to its natui'al resources. The fertile soil 
is covered with clumps of trees and shrubs of moderate size, 
that give it the aspect of a park. The laurel, lentisk, prickly 
oak, and thorn, just coming into blossom, lend variety to the 
landscape. To us the sight possessed peculiar charms, since, 
in the course of a few hours, we had passed from a region 
where winter had scarcely loosed its bands, into another cli- 
mate, where the benignant reign of summer was already be- 
gun. Two hours more of riding among the hillocks of the 
plain, at no great distance from the Alpheus, brought us op- 

* In crossing the mountains this morning, we noticed with regret the 
wantonness with which many forest trees of great size have been de- 
stroyed. The shepherds, it appears, are accustomed to light fires by 
night at the foot of the largest trees ; and in this way about half of them 
remained only as blackened trunks, left to rot. 



206 PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

posite to the village of St. John, or Hagios Joannes. A ford- 
ing-place was found without much difficulty. At other sea- 
sons of the year, or after heavy rains, the Alpheus is frequent- 
ly much swollen. We had been by no means certain that it 
would not be necessary to ride farther up, and thus lose a 
day in crossing; or else go down as far as Agolonitza, near 
the mouth of the stream, where communication is kept up 
between the banks by a regular ferry-boat. We lodged in a 
house on the bluff overhanging the Alpheus, at a few minutes' 
walk from the principal part of the village. 

Hagios Joannes is supposed to occupy the site of the im- 
portant city of Hercea, of which no traces can be detected 
but a small piece of Roman brick-work, lying some distance 
back from the river. It is situated at the point where the 
Alpheus, forsaking its northwesterly course through the up- 
per valley, turns and flows in the direction of the sea. Olym- 
pia, which we were next to visit, lies on the same side of the 
river, and the road thither follows the bank of the stream. 
The body of water is small, varying in breadth from 50 to 
150 feet ; but it is, nevertheless, the largest and widest river 
in Southern Greece. Its bed is at times much wider, and 
sometimes divided by two or three islands. Though the wa- 
ter is now shallow, scarcely reaching to the knee, the course 
changes exceedingly from year to year. There may frequently 
be seen dry tracts, which at some time or other doubtless 
formed part of the bed. This is peculiarly striking in the 
vale of Olympia, where the marlis left on the alluvial soil 
have been mistaken by some antiquarians for the site of a 
stadium or hippodrome. 

On our way we forded a couple of tributaries to the Al- 
pheus. The first was the Rouphia or Ladon, a stream of 
considerable length, rising in the mountainous region of 
Northern Arcadia, and drawing most of its waters from the 
Lake of Phonia, through an underground channel or katavo- 
thron. The people of the neighborhood give the name of 
Rouphia to the united stream also, below its junction with 
the Alpheus. The other tributary, the Erymanthus, derives 
its appellation from the mountain where Hercules is fabled to 
have slain the Erymanthian boar. It is known at present as 



TEMPLE OF JUPITER A'J' OLYMPlA. 2U7 

the Doana. There was nothing of antiquarian interest to en- 
tertain us on our way. At one spot, indeed, we passed a tu- 
mulus of considerable size : on riding up to it, however, I 
could perceive only traces of modern excavations. But the 
ride was charming, and the air balmy and spring-like. About 
an hour's distance from Olympia, we sat down under a clump 
of trees to our mid-day repast, and spent a part of the time 
allowed us in bathing in the Alpheus. The water was cool, 
but too shallow near the shore, ^and the current was very 
strong. 

A little past noon we entered the small vale of Olympia, 
some two miles long and half as wide, surrounded on all sides 
by low and well-wooded hills, among which the river winds. 
Oar guide first pointed out to us what he maintained was the 
ancient stadium ; but we easily recognized in it one of the 
bends of the Alpheus laid bare by an alteration in its course. 
A few years since, the only vestiges that seemed to have sur- 
vived the general wreck of ages to mark the ancient site of 
Olympia, were a few brick walls of Roman construction, and 
these scarcely sufficient to determine the precise locality. It 
is to the French scientific expedition in the Morea that we 
owe the discovery of the exact position, and considerable re- 
mains of one of the most famous temples of antiquity. At 
some period, perhaps, these ruins at the base of a hill. Mount 
Cronius, were overwhelmed by the Alpheus ; or, at least, by 
some means or other were covered with several feet of allu- 
vial soil, under which they lay as nicely concealed as ever 
was a mass of gold under the sands of some Californian creek. 
The fortunate discoverers have, of course, made way with 
all the portable statuary and bas-reliefs. The more ponder- 
ous columns lie scattered about in the excavation, just as 
when uncovered. The explorations were sufficient to show 
the general form of the temple, which was a great hexastyle 
building ; that is, had six columns on each front. The col- 
umns are truly gigantic, measuring, as I found, over seven 
feet in diameter at the top of the first drum. As the style 
was the Doric, each fluting is over a foot in breadth. Their 
material is hard but ordinary porous limestone, abounding in 
petrifactions, and certainly incapable of receiving a high pol- 



208 PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

ish. This seems to necessitate the conviction that the entire 
edifice was covered v^^ith some sort of stucco, as, indeed, the 
discoveries have proved. The whole, we are told, presented to 
the eye the appearance of one of the most elegant structures 
in the galaxy of Grecian temples, and was dedicated to Jupi- 
ter, in whose honor the games were celebrated for nearly 
eight centuries before the Christian era. Its size varied little 
from that of the Parthenon at Athens ; but as there were but 
six columns on the fronts, these must necessarily have been 
proportionately stouter and loftier. The surrounding space 
was occupied by the Altis, or sacred grove of the god; and 
the stadium was probably not far off, along the banks of the 
Alpheus. If so, we need not despair of its discovery at some 
future day, under ten or twelve feet of sand and mud. If any 
dikes were formed in this valley by the ancients, to ward off 
the encroachments of the treacherous stream, they have been 
long since swept away. The important variations in the 
course of the river within a few years, will be readily un- 
derstood by any one who will take the troulile to compare the 
map in Stanhope's Travels with a more modern one. 

Near the temple stands a ruined building of polygonal 
shape, said to be the stables for the horses used in the Olym- 
pian games ; but we saw nothing to countenance the supposi- 
tion. The situation of Olympia was celebrated in ancient 
times for the singular heat to which it was subject, sheltered 
as it is from every wind by the surrounding hills ; and for the 
want of drinkable water, until supplied by means of an aque- 
duct built by Herodes Atticus, the benefactor of Athens. We 
experienced both of these inconveniences during the hour we 
spent on the spot, though we were yet in the beginning of 
May. 

There flows into the Alpheus at Olympia a small brook, 
the Cladeus, at present called Stravo-kephali. We followed 
its ravine, through which, as was our uniform custom, our 
baggage had been sent on. The ride was pleasant, through 
pine woods and up a continuous ascent. About half past five 
we reached the elevated plateau, where stands the village of 
Lala, our stopping-place for the night. Our lodgings were at 
a pretty good house, which our attendants had been empow- 



SIEGE OF 1.ALA. 209 

ered to secure for our exclusive enjoyment, by turning the in- 
mates out of their quarters, besides laying hands upon what- 
ever they could find in the way of eatables and cooking uten- 
sils. But it is long since we have had the luxury of seeing 
panes of glass in our windows, or a roof destitute of crevices 
between the rows of tiles, furnishing a larger entrance to the 
pure air of heaven than is absolutely necessary for the pur- 
poses of ventilation. 

The brief season of daylight that remained was spent in 
walking around Lala. It consists at present of only a few 
straggling huts, barely deserving the name of a hamlet. 
Thirty years ago it was a considerable village. Pouqueville 
in 1816 describes it as "a large straggling place, presenting 
vast palaces and detached groups of houses pierced with loop- 
holes for musketry." It was inhabited by one of those Alba- 
nian colonies which it had been the policy of the Porte to 
transplant to Grecian soil, in order to check the growth, if 
they could not entirely destroy the being, of the old Plellenic 
inhabitants. Like most of their compatriots, they retained 
their national costume, their peculiar language, the Moham- 
medan religion, and an inveterate hatred to their Christian 
neighbors. When in 1820 the standard of revolt was unfurled, 
the Laliotes took part with the Turks, and for months ravaged 
the richer plains toward the sea. The Greeks in vain at- 
tempted to restrain them, till, reinforced by auxiliaries from 
the Ionian Isles, they were emboldened to lay siege to Lala, 
which, from its strength, offered them no prospect of capture 
but by a prolonged blockade. Meanwhile the Albanian La- 
liotes succeeded in procuring additional forces from Patras, 
whither they hoped to be enabled to remove their families for 
safety. Jousouf Pasha having thus collected an army of twen- 
ty-five hundred men or more, attacked the Christians, who 
numbered about fifteen hundred. After an obstinate conflict, 
lasting from morning to night, the Turks were worsted, but 
succeeded in making their retreat unmolested to Patras. On 
the following day the Greeks entered Lala, and, after plunder- 
ing it, set fire to the village, which lay at too inconvenient a 
distance to supply with provisions. This was one of the first 
trials of valor between the Greeks and the Turks in the Morea, 



210 PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

and tended greatly to inspire the insurgents with hope and 
courage.* 

The only traces of the Turkish period now extant are two 
or three square inclosures or citadels, the remains, doubtless, 
of the "detached groups of houses" to which Pouqueville al- 
ludes ; and although built in part of fragments of the Temple 
of Jupiter, at Olympia, they presented to us nothing of much 
interest. 

It was late on the morrow before we set off from Lala. 
The plateau on which it stands is apparently quite extensive 
toward the east and west. In the neighborhood of the ham- 
let there are small cultivated fields, inclosed by fences neatly 
framed of interwoven brush so tightly put together as abso- 
lutely to prevent the intrusion of animals of any kind. On 
the northeastern side of the plain there stretches a remarkable 
line of hills, which, from their singular uniformity, strongly re- 
semble a fortification composed of two embankments super- 
imposed. Over the top of both towers thp beautiful snowy 
summit of Mount Olonos, the ancient Erymanthus. We rode 
directly toward this range, and in the act of entering a narrow 
defile, caught on our left a clear view of the isle of Zante, far 
off on the Ionian Sea. Our day's ride, though a rough one, 
and consisting of alternate ascents and descents, was short. 
Passing near the village of Koumara, on the opposite side of 
the valley through which the River Erymanthus flows, we wit- 
nessed an interesting procession. To-morrow a couple of peas- 
ants are to be married, and then the regular ceremony is to be 
performed. But to-day the bridegroom and his attendants re- 
pair, with the music of a flute or bagpipe, to the house of the 
bride's parents, whence they bring back the young woman's 
dowry. Such a procession we noticed this afternoon, wend- 

* The circumstances of this battle are given at length, and not very 
consistently, by Colonel Gordon (Hist, of Gr. Rev., p. 212-14), Dr. Howe 
{Sketch of the Gr. Rev., p. 23, 24), and Archbishop Germanos {Hypom- 
neiiiata, p. 45-47). The number of the troops engaged, the disposi- 
tion of the Greeks previous to the battle, and even the day of the 
month on which it occurred, are among the discordant points. The 
whole has been still farther complicated by an awkward typographical 
error in Gordon's work, from which it would naturally be inferred that 
all these occurrences happened a year sooner than. they did. 



psopiiis. 211 

ing its way along the side of the opposite mountain ; but the 
distance was too great to allow us to see it with much distinct- 
ness. At a little past three we reached the lonely khan of 
Tripotamo — so named because it stands at the junction of three 
valleys, from each of which there pours down a stream going 
to swell the Erymanthus. The day was wet, and we were 
glad to gain a shelter, as well as to obtain time for writing 
up our memoranda, finishing sketches, attending to various 
specimens of natural history with which we had managed to 
store our traveling-bags to the no small detriment of books 
and clothing; and, in short, a variety of minor jobs, which, 
on account of our usual late hours, had accumulated on our 
hands. Still we had in the khan not only the discomforts of 
a windy chamber, but the apprehension of being kept awake 
all night by a number of sick children under the same roof, 
all of whom were afflicted with the hooping-cough. 

The isolated conical hill, just eastward of the khan, was 
the supposed site of Psophis, or rather of the citadel of that 
town. Before we left Tripotamo we undertook the ascent, 
and were scarcely repaid for our walk through the moist 
grass by the sight of a few remnants of polygonal masonry. 
The place is one of the strongest that can be imagined, and 
even at present a few cannon placed on the summit of the 
hill would command all the passes. Yet we hear, I believe, 
of but one siege of this town, B.C. 219. 

From Psophis we rode for two hours up the same winding 
valley of the Erymanthus, until we arrived at the small vil- 
lage of Dessino, where it seems to terminate. Thence we 
had intended following the road to Calavryta. Some of our 
party, however, entertained a great desire to see the Lake 
of Phonia and the surrounding scenery, said by many to be 
the most grand and picturesque mountain district in Greece. 
Nicholas maintained that, in order to accomplish this, we 
must inevitably proceed first to Calavryta, thence make an 
excursion of two or three days, and return thither again. To 
this we were averse, the time of my fellow-travellers' stay in 
Greece being quite limited. We had consequently examined 
our maps with care, and discovered what we imagined to be 
a practicable road leading over the mountains from the vil- 



212 PHiGALEA, OLyarpiA, a:nd arcadia. 

lage of Dessino in precisely the required direction. Our 
guide still persisted in averring the impracticability of lead- 
ing the horses (especially those that carried the baggage) over 
what could be nothing more than a mere foot-j)ath. It was 
agreed to refer the matter to the inhabitants of Dessino, who 
might naturally be the best judges of the matter. These lat- 
ter worthies gave us a ready audience. It was a feast-day ; 
and after their morning devotions, all the wiseacres of the vil- 
lage were collected on the open common. Our arrival put an 
end for the time to their games and daijces, and they gave us 
their advice with hearty good-will. But our perplexity was 
now to choose between the conflicting opinions. For while the 
old fogies smoked their pipes, and declared it was impossible 
with pack-horses to cross directly over to Cleitouras, "Young 
Greece" became exceedingly animated, and indignantly as- 
serted that there was not a safer road in the town, as was 
proved by the fact that the marriage processions carrying the 
bride's dowry took that way when occasion required. The 
latter opinion corresponded with our inclinations, and so it 
was at once decided to undertake the ascent. We took the 
precaution, however, of engaging one of the youths, who had 
been the most zealous advocate of the scheme, as our guide. 
In half an hour we had reached the summit of the much- 
slandered pass, and sent back our lad well repaid for his 
trouble. The only difficulty we had encountered was that 
the path for a considerable distance ran along a narrow ledge 
of rock or sand, overhanging an ugly precipice. Once, how- 
ever, it was necessary partially to unlade the pack-horses. 

The descent on the opposite side was much longer. We 
passed on the way a monastery dedicated to St. Theodore or 
Theodosius, where there were some twenty-five monks, most 
of whom came out to see us. They were attired, not as or- 
dinarily in long black gowns, but in garments of sheepskin, 
and wore conical caps. Below we found our way into a nar- 
row but rather fertile valley, passing a couple of villages evi- 
dently of Albanian or Bulgarian origin, and thence into that 
of the ancient Clitor, whence we could distinctly see the ham- 
let where we were to lodge. J. went on with the baggage 
and our guide, while H. and I dismounted, in order to explore 



SITE Oi; CLlTOll. 213 

the ruins of the ancient city. This we did without difficulty ; 
for, excepting the slight remains of one or two temples, and 
the half-obliterated site of a theatre, the sole interest is asso- 
ciated with the walls, which are preserved or traceable through 
almost their entire circuit. Being on a plain, they take advant- 
age of a continuous hillock, along whose crest one side of the 
quadrangle runs, following its sinuosities. They are pro- 
tected at distances of one hundred feet by round towers about 
twenty-three feet in diameter, almost half embedded in the 
walls. This construction, as far as we saw, was quite unique 
among ancient fortifications. We followed these walls, which 
are now rarely more than four or five feet high, for some dis- 
tance through the cornfields, and over a soil abounding with 
fragments of broken pottery and building materials. Reach- 
ing the khan, we found our companion J. in vain attempting 
to explain to half a dozen boys, who were ofiering him a hand- 
ful of old coins, that he wanted none of their treasures. We 
satisfied them by buying one or two ; but I set more value 
upon a small copper piece that I had myself picked up on the 
site of the neighboring ruined city. Our khan was excellent. 
I am not sure that it possessed a single window-sash ; but it 
was spacious. The whole house, some fifty feet long, con- 
sisted of one large room, and was provided with a plank floor. 
We occupied one end of it, and made no inquiries as to those 
who ensconced themselves in the other, after once putting an 
interdict upon all smoking and boisterous merriment, prolonged 
far into the night. 

We were late in getting under way the next morning. The 
hamlet where we lodged is merely a summer village belong- 
ing to a place a few miles distant named Maza, and, I pre- 
sume, is abandoned in winter. It stands on a small emi- 
nence in a very picturesque mountain valley, bounded toward 
the northeast by Mount Khelmos. We were still in Arcadia ; 
and this morning as we rode, I heard for the first time the 
shepherds on the mountain sides playing on their pipes to col- 
lect their flocks about them. In the fields the farmers were 
just commencing to plough, and for this purpose employed 
the same rude instrument that is in common use throughout 
the East. This agricultural implement, which some, with a 



214 PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

certain show of plausibility, maintain has undergone no im- 
provement since the days of good old Homer, consists of a 
long pole with an iron point that serves as a coulter, while 
two bent boards on the sides represent the share. The labor 
of ploughing, which is done with oxen or cows, is not severe, 
as the plough merely scratches the ground to the depth of three 
or four inches. 

Our monotonous rides are now and then diversified by the 
wranglings of the agoyates, or hostlers. Evidently our guide 
is no great favorite with them, as he has no manner of pa- 
tience with their stupid blunderings or indolence. If they 
loiter on the way when separated from us, or are unnecessari- 
ly long in saddling and lading the horses, he shows his dis- 
pleasure by such a volley of oaths as quite disconcerts the 
poor fellows. One of them, Athanasius by name, came to 
me and declared he never would travel again with Nicholas 
as long as he lived. The guide had been making use of a fa- 
vorite oath of his, in which he wished that his Satanic majes- 
ty might take, not only him, but his father and his mother, 
including in tlie same category such of his more distant rela- 
tives as he went on to specify. No wonder that the agoyates 
felt aggrieved. As a general thing, however, the oaths em- 
ployed by the Greeks are not by any means so shocking as 
those blasphemous expressions that greet our ears at every 
turn in America and England. In asseverations, too, the name 
of the Virgin or some one of the saints is commonly substi- 
tuted for that of the Deity. 

It took us a couple of hours to reach the eastern end of the 
valley, where the celebrated katavothron, or chasm, is situated, 
through which the waters of Lake Phonia, after having dis- 
appeared in a similar cavernous outlet, reappear as the princi- 
pal source of the River Ladon. These form a small sheet of 
water, thirty or forty feet across, and of unknown depth in 
the middle, where the water comes up rapidly. As the sur- 
face, however, is placid, the appearance of this katavothron is 
altogether dissimilar to that of the Erasinus, the outlet of the 
neighboring Lake Stymphalus, which we saw near Argos. 

At the end of three hours and a half of slow traveling we 
commenced the ascent of the pass toward the Lake of Phonia, 



OUTLET OF LAKE PHENEUS. 215 

from the village of Lycouria. The sides of Mount Saita were 
steep, and covered with a growth of pine-trees ; but from the 
highest portion of our path we were rewarded with a mag- 
nificent ^-iew of the lake. This quiet sheet of water is about 
five miles long, and oval in its general shape, making, how- 
ever, a considerable bay upon the west. On every side the 
lake is surrounded by high mountains cutting off all egress. 
Should the subterranean passages become entirely choked up, 
the waters would accumulate until they obtained sufficient 
force to break through, or attained the height of a pass oppo- 
, site to that on which we now stood, and which, I believe, is 
the lowest point in the entire circuit of the mountains. In 
other words, they would have to rise over nine hundred feet 
before they would overflow this vast natural basin. The pres- 
ent surface of the lake is about twenty-two hundred feet above 
the level of the sea. The effect of this alpine scenery, and of 
the brilliant glassy surface of the water lighted up by the sun, 
was exceedingly striking, and contrasted favorably with the 
ordinary mountain landscapes in the midst of which we had 
been traveling. 

During our descent toward the lake, the straggling clouds 
gradually collected on the mountain tops, and soon enveloped 
their sides. The moment we reached the water's edge, a most 
violent rain commenced, for which we were quite unprepared. 
Coverings were hastily thrown over the luggage, the agoyates 
drew themselves within their heavy capotas, and H. threw 
around him an impervious Scotch plaid. But our umbrellas 
furnished the rest of us little shelter, and the horses could not 
be induced to face the pelting storm. The rain, however, was 
as transient as it was heavy, and we soon proceeded along the 
margin of the lake toward the village of Phonia, over a ledge 
of rocks full of cracks and seams, which rendered it difficult 
even for a pedestrian to traverse it. Nicholas being behind, 
H. led the way, and, by some mischance, strayed from the 
path, until at length, urging his horse to mount a very high 
rock, the animal put one of his feet into a hole, from which 
he was unable to withdraw it. The horse struggled to get 
free, and must infallibly have broken his leg, had not H. held 
him near the feet, while I caught him by the head and pre- 



216 PHIGALEA, OLYMPIA, AND ARCADIA. 

vented his rising. It was some minutes before the rest of the 
party came up, and after the horse had made several ineflfect- 
ual struggles, which we had great trouble in subduing, they 
succeeded in extricating the unlucky foot. On regaining the 
path, we proceeded toward the village of Phonia, near which 
we turned aside through the fields to view the site of the an- 
cient city of Pheneus. It is a peninsula, connected with the 
main land by a narrow isthmus, much resembling that of Epi- 
daurus. A conical hill occupies the northern part, with re- 
mains of polygonal walls around the base. From the top the 
prospect was pleasing, and the snowy cap of Mount Cyllene, 
to the northeast, formed the most characteristic object. 

We climbed np to the village, perched in a much higher 
situation, on the side and top of a hill, whence, after a slight 
lunch, we rode on for three-fourths of an hour to the Monas- 
tery of St. George, our quarters for the night. At the mo- 
ment we entered, the few inmates were engaged in their after- 
noon devotions. Presently, however, their monotonous tones 
died away, and a fine old man came to greet us. The mon- 
astery was a large one, but not in very good repair. We were 
conducted to an upper chamber opening upon one of the gal- 
leries that ran around the court. The room was destitute of 
chairs; a carpet had been spread before the capacious fire- 
place, and there were a number of Turkish cushions for us to 
recline upon. We were more in want of a good fire to dry 
ourselves by than any thing else. Our monk soon had it kin- 
dled on the hearth, and we disposed ourselves to spend the 
hour, until our dinner should be ready, in chatting with our 
host. 

As he himself informed me, our worthy friend was seventy- 
four or five years old, and had resided here ever since the age 
of ten. Clad in the ordinary monastic costume, with a black 
robe reaching to his feet, and a black cap on his head, he 
presented, with his long white hair and beard, altogether 
a patriarchal appearance. The monastery, he said, contained 
but twenty monks, besides ten novices; and he complained 
that it had been sadly impoverished of late. Its only proper- 
ty consists of lands, some of them bordering on the lake, a 
great part of which have been for years submerged. The 



MONASTERY OF PHONIA. 217 

thre^ small channels through which the lake once found an 
outlet have been periodically choked with sand, wood, stone, 
and other materials. All efforts to clear them have failed, but 
the lake has ceased rising for the present. The monk says 
that there has been a sort of fatality about the matter. The 
very year that the Revolution commenced in Greece (1821) 
the waters began rising, and continued to do so until the com- 
ing of King Otho, when there ensued five years of prosperity.* 
The southern end of the lake is the deepest. Altogether the 
old man was very much inclined to repine at the dispensations 
of Providence, which, he said, had reduced the monastery to 
such straits as to render it too poor even to support an abbot. 

* That faithful chronicler, Pausanias, assures us that of old the wa- 
ters rose to such a height that they inundated the city of Pheneus, and 
that marks of the point they reached still remained on the sides of the 
mountains. The inhabitants attributed the construction of the subter- 
ranean canal to that convenient workman, Hercules, who had freed the 
neighboring Lake of Stymphalus from its horrid birds. 

K 



ft fe^<rs- 




KtriNS OF THE TEMPLE OF JTJPITEE AT OLTAEPIA. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

STYX— MEGASPELION— VOSTITZA. 

The rain was falling without intermission when we rose 
on the morrow, and it seemed quite useless to undertake t<S 
proceed on our journey. Meanwhile, our friend the monk 
insisted on showing us the chapel, or church, standing quite 
detached from the rest of the buildings. It was one of the 
neatest in Greece; and the fresco paintings upon the walls, 
though executed in the last century, were still brilliant and 
pleasing. Our admiration was most excited by the sight of 
the shrine separating the holy place, where stands the "sacred 
table" (the Greeks do not call it an altar), from the body of 
the church. It was of gilt wood very highly ornamented and 
carved, and said by the monks to be the richest work of the 
kind in the country.* The conversation turning upon the 
priesthood, I elicited my cicerone's sentiments as to educa- 
tion. "Young priests," said he, "rarely go to the Univers- 
ity to study. There are schools at Nauplia and some other 



* From an inscription, it appears that the monastery was founded in 
a valley midway between its present site and Phonia in the year 1334, 
and was removed thence on occasion of a great overflow of the lake. 
The church was built in 175-1: or 1768, I forget which. There are but 
few books in the estabhshmeut, and no regular library. 



VILLAGE OF SOLOS. 219 

places, where they can obtain quite as much learning as they 
will need, and it is found advisable to give them no more. 
Philosophy atheizes them ; and by the time they have com- 
pleted their academic course, they are but too ready to aban- 
don the sacred office." 

Before long the rain held up, and we thought that we might 
with prudence venture out. We had wished to reward our 
attentive monk for his kindness, besides the remuneration given 
to the monastery for our .entertainment. Out of motives of 
delicacy, my companions had insisted on giving it to him 
under the form of a contribution to the church he had been 
showing us. Just as we were leaving the gate, we were wit- 
ness to an animated discussion between him and our Nich- 
olas, from whom he was endeavoring to extort payment for 
some fire-wood. When he was told that we had already 
much more than canceled that score, he averred he could 
never think of touching a "lepton" of our donation, which 
must be strictly applied to sacred purposes. 
, It was out of the question for us to reach Calavryta that 
day. The best we could do was to make a short advance, 
and spend the night at the village of Solos. On our way, we 
enjoyed for a time a clear view of Mount Khelmos on the 
left, and of Cyllene, or Zyria, on the right, both of them 
thickly covered with recent snow. But the clouds were not 
long in collecting about the mountain tops, whence they rap- 
idly descended and deluged us with rain. Altogether, we hadT 
a dismal afternoon of it. We were glad when, after passing 
the villages of St. Barbara and Zaroukla, we turned into a 
branch of the same valley, and entered one of three or four 
villages picturesquely perched on its sides. The small stream 
running through it is supplied by the Styx. We wandered 
through Solos for some time in quest of accommodation for 
the night, and, finding no suitable house, were quite at a loss 
what to do. Just at that moment, an officer of the army is- 
sued from his door close by, and, as soon as he heard there 
were some strangers hunting for quarters, pressed us with 
much cordiality to make our stay with him. " His house was 
by far the best in the place. Our portable tables, beds, and 
chairs, were not put in requisition for the night, and we were 



220 STYX MEGASPELION VOSTITZA. 

favored with the presence of our host and a nephew of his at 
meal-time. The young man was able to give us important 
information respecting the condition and history of this dis- 
trict. He prided himself not a little upon the patriotic exploits 
of his father, whose name he pointed out to me in a recently- 
published work of Speliades on the Greek Revolution. Nich- 
olas X. Soliotes was one of the original conspirators, to whose 
vigorous plans and no less energetic execution of them, the 
successful outbreak of popular vengeance was in great meas- 
ure due. As soon as it was agreed to commence the mo- 
mentous struggle, he was the first to draw his sword from the 
scabbard and fall upon the unsuspecting Turks. The first 
man slain in the Revolution fell under his hands ; and he had 
increased the number of his victims to eleven before many 
days elapsed. When he rose to leave, our young friend in- 
vited us to pay him a visit at his own house ; but, besides the 
fatigue we experienced, we were scarcely in trim for an even- 
ing call. Subsequently, our guide warmly, censured us for de- 
clining ; and assured us that we had missed a capital oppor- 
tunity of seeing several very pretty Greek girls, the daughters 
of the revolutionary hero. 

I was much struck with the simplicity of the lamps in or- 
dinary use. The shape has scarcely varied from remote an- 
tiquity ; if any thing, it is even more simple than formerly. 
One that I noticed here consisted of a small, oval tin saucer, 
with a short spout at one end. On this the wick rested, the 
greater part being coiled in the bottom of the saucer, which 
was half full of oil. At the other end, an upright strip of tin, 
bent above, served as a handle and support. This sort of 
lamp may be seen in almost every shop, except where a still 
more primitive method is resorted to. In the shoemakers' 
stalls, torches or tar lights are employed. No whale-oil is to 
be found in the kingdom. Olive-oil is universally burned in 
the lamps. 

Our baggage left early in the morning for Calavryta by the 
direct route. We hired a guide to conduct us to the cele- 
l)rated fall of the Styx ; for Nicholas did not feel sufficiently 
ii-imiliar with the way to lead us thither. We followed up 
tlic same ravine in which Solos is situated, keeping far above 



THE RIVER STYX. 22 i 

its bottom, until we reached the foot of Mount Khelmos. 
The path generally ran on a ledge of earth that threatened 
every moment to give way under our feet. Our guide, a 
peasant from the valley, who should certainly have been ac- 
customed to tramping through the snow, wished to lead us 
along an easy path, by which we could advance but a short 
distance, and then gain only a distant view of the Styx. He 
assured us most vehemently that the other road was quite 
impassable on account of the snow. The truth was, that, in 
consequence of the recent violent storms, it was difficult to 
get up high on the mountains, whose summits were covered 
with fresh and deep drifts. We insisted, however, on trying 
the more difficult path leading up the left bank of the Styx, 
whose fall is visible from below. After traversing a rugged 
tract, and surmounting the rocky hills at the base of the 
mountain, we commenced the ascent of the mountain itself. 
Leaving our horses, we proceeded about an hour, crossed sev- 
eral beds of snow of limited extent, and succeeded in reach- 
ing a spot whence we could gain an excellent view of the 
stream. Any nearer approach would have been exceedingly 
difficult at this season of the year, even had we possessed a 
guide worthy of the name of a mountaineer. 

The far-famed " Kiver Styx" is composed of two rills of 
water springing from the melting snows on the topmost level 
of Mount Khelmos, a few feet from each other. They run 
but a short distance before coming to the verge of a frightful 
precipice several hundred feet in height, over whose perpen- 
dicular face they leap at one bound into the chasm below. 
The amount of water they contain is very small, and long be- 
fore they reach the ground they are transformed, as it were, 
into a thin spray by the resistance of the atmosphere. The 
cascade is surpassed in point of height and volume by many 
waterfalls in Switzerland; but various circumstances have 
combined to give it, both in ancient and modern times, the 
reputation of possessing supernatural qualities. The locality 
is wild and secluded, far from the dwellings of men. From 
the valley an indistinct view of it can be gained at one or two 
points only ; its base, if accessible at all, is quite out of reach 
during three-fourths of the year, and the springs are covered 



'222 STYX— MEG ASPELION VOSTITZA. 

with snow during an equal period, while the water at all sea- 
sons is of an icy coldness. The latter circumstance gave rise 
to the opinion that the water of the Styx was so deadly, not 
only that no man could drink it with impunity, but that even 
upon inorganic substances its influence was no less potent. 
It was imagined to be an almost universal solvent. " Vessels, 
whether of glass or crystal, or murrhine, or of earth, or of 
stone, are broken by this water," says Pausanias ; "and ves- 
sels of horn, bone, iron, brass, lead, tin, silver, amber, and 
even of gold, are dissolved by it. But it can not injure the 
hoof of the horse : this material alone is not destroyed by the 
water." "It was natural enough that some difference of 
opinion should prevail as to the substance which had the vir- 
tue of resisting this terrible fluid," Colonel Leake remarks, 
"seeing that most certainly the experiment had never been 
fairly made. Plutarch gives his testimony in favor of the 
hoof of the ass. According to Pliny, it was the hoof of a fe- 
male mule. Vitruvius seems to admit that of a mule of either 
gender. By Theophrastus the virtue was confined to vessels 
of horn, in which he is supported by another ancient author. 
It would appear, however, from Philo of Heraclea, JElisna., and 
the epigram at Delphi, that even among horns there was but 
one kind capable of resisting the Stygian water, and that was 
not very easily procured, being the ho7m of a Scythian ass."* 

Some said that Alexander the Great was poisoned by means 
of the deadly water ; but on this score the ancient world was 
not unanimous. It is, perhaps, the most singular circum- 
stance of all, that the old superstition has survived all the 
changes of dynasties, and the wars and immigrations that 
have metamorphosed the aspect of society. Even our guide 
was unwilling to imitate our example, and drink of the perni- 
cious stream. It is now called the Black Water, or Mavro- 
nero. Lower down, after its junction, the water is esteemed 
innocuous enough, and, indeed, it differs in no respect from 
the surrounding streams in taste or color. 

Our peasant guide told us that during the Revolution, when 
the Turks invaded this district, the inhabitants of the villages 
took refuge here in large numbers on the rocks below the 
* Travels in the Morea, iii., p. 164. 



CALAVKYTA. 223 

Styx, and were pursued a part ,of the way by the Turks. Of 
these refugees, three hundred, he said, lost their lives by be- 
ing precipitated from the lofty and difficult rocks, to whose 
intricacies they were unaccustomed. The same statement 
was corroborated by another person ; but precisely how mucii 
faith is to be attached to either the fact or the numbers, we 
were unable to determine. 

We descended from the Styx, and, after rejoining Nicholas, 
dismissed our mountain guide, who readily confessed that he 
had told us that the path we had followed was impracticable 
only in order to spare himself a little fatigue. A new ascent 
awaited us in crossing one of the spurs of Mount Khelmos, 
which intervenes between this valley and the town of Cala- 
vryta. On the summit we came upon a high plateau, some 
4000 to 4500 feet, I should judge, above the sea's level, where 
the snow lay scattered about in patches. On the uncovered 
spots a number of men were to be seen ploughing and prepar- 
ing the ground for sowing wheat or barley, while the crocuses 
and a few other of the early spring plants were in full bloom 
on the very margin of the melting snow-banks. A few min- 
utes' ride brought us in sight of Rumeli, or Northern Greece, 
with its long line of mountains retreating from Helicon and 
Parnassus, till, toward Patras on the west, it seemed to min- 
gle with the heights of Peloponnesus. Before it lay extended 
the narrow Gulf of Corinth, without a sail to give its blue 
waters the appearance of life and activity. Behind us there 
was a confused mass of mountains and hills, among which a 
small lake lay embosomed. 

After a long descent, we reached the town of Calavryta, 
the largest place in these parts, most interesting from the fact 
that here the first steps were taken to excite the outbreak of 
the late Revolution. The events of that contest are yet too 
recent in date to be invested with a romantic interest : the 
heroes who figured in it have not wholly passed off from the 
scene of contemporary history ; and their actions, viewed too 
much in the mere connection of the events to which they nat- 
urally stand related in point of time, and too little in refer- 
ence to the great results not yet terminated to which they 
conduced, have not yet been fully appreciated. Fifty years 



•i 2 4 STYX— MEGASPELION— V OSTITZ A . 

hence the world will do honor to the patriotism and self-sac- 
rifice of the Greek revolutionary soldier ; and travelers will 
make pilgrimages to the sites of the more illustrious conflicts 
between Christian and Infidel. On our way down the mount- 
ain, our guide had pointed out to us in the distance a large 
edifice about a couple of miles southward of Calavryta as the 
Monastery of St. Laura, where the plan of revolt already con- 
cocted at Patras was fully perfected by the original conspira- 
tors, who, headed by the archbishop of that city, had gone 
thither, upon ^he pretext of a journey to Tripolitza, to escape 
the narrow inspection to which the presence of the Turks 
subjected them. From this place, when the plot was quite 
ripe for execution, letters were sent throughout the breadth 
of the land to apprize all the patriots of the design. 

Calavryta is quite an ordinary town, though better built 
than most of the interior places. The plain, some three or 
four miles long by three quarters of a mile wide, is fertile and 
well watered. Somewhere upon it stood the ancient city of 
Cynsetha. On arriving, we found that our baggage had gone 
on toward the monastery of Megaspelion; but our horses 
were considerably jaded, and we were tired, and hungry 
enough to enjoy a lunch during the three quarters of an hour 
we staid at Calavryta. What time remained was profitably 
employed in making purchases of various articles, such as the 
more respectable shops were possessed of, and in replenishing 
J.'s tobacco-pouch, which had not been proof against the 
heavy drafts made upon it while we were traveling in the 
back districts of Arcadia. The streets, or rather lanes, are 
rarely more than a dozen feet wide ; and the small shops, en- 
tirely destitute of windows, are thrown quite open to the 
street. A wide counter occupies almost the whole breadth 
of the front, upon which the greater part of the commodities 
are exposed for sale. Cobblers and tin-smiths alike sit cross- 
legged upon them, with their tools and wares by their sides. 
Thus situated, they keep a sharp look-out on every one that 
passes, and can gossip as much as they please with their 
neighbors. 

Our presence among them aroused the curiosity of the talk- 
ative townsmen. Perhaps our laying in a store of straw hats, 



MONASTERY OF MEGASPELION. 225 

and of the Indian weed, augmented it. At any rate, a knot 
of idlers soon gathered about us while we were loungincr 
around the khan waiting for our horses. They seemed de- 
termined to find out all they could about our destination, and 
we had as firmly made up our minds not to gratify them. A 
young fellow fi'om the Ionian Isles accosted H. in Italian, and 
soon contrived to inquire whether " their excellencies were 
bound to Patras ;" to which H. replied, that, though not im- 
possible, it was yet doubtful whether we would go to that 
place. The questioner then mentioned a number of other 
towns to which he might suppose us en route; but, as the an- 
swers were somewhat enigmatical, he gained very little light 
in his search for information. Somewhat nettled at his poor 
success in eliciting that wherewith to satisfy his companions' 
curiosity, we heard him suggesting to them in Greek, as they 
beat a retreat, that most likely we were traveling without 
passports ; but, whether our appearance did not justify them 
in setting us down as klefts or smugglers, or they did not care 
to make the inquiry, that was the last we heard of the matter. 
From Calavryta we had before us a two hours' ride to Me- 
gaspelion, along the pleasant banks of the small river Burai- 
cus, winding through a narrow valley toward the Corinthian 
Gulf. The monastery is by far the greatest, richest, and most 
famous in Greece proper. Imagine a vast cavern upward of 
a hundred feet in height, and much wider, as the niche in 
which this curious establishment is situated, and this on the 
steep side of a mountain at a considerable distance above the 
ravine. The approach is along the hill-side by a path wind- 
ing gradually toward it, and which might easily be defended 
against a host of invaders. The steep land-slopes are culti- 
vated in front of it in a succession of terraces, each present- 
ing the appearance of a garden. As we drew near the build- 
ing, there could be nothing more singular than its appearance. 
A single wall, one hundred and eighty feet long, and seventy 
or eighty high^ closes up the lower part of the cave's aper- 
ture„ It is no less than twelve feet thick, and ojffers little 
hope to the assailant of his being able to force his way within. 
Above, it is pierced with windows, and surmounted by seven 
or eight wooden houses of curious and diverse aspect, built 

K2 



22G 



STYX— MEG ASPELION VOS'HTZA. 



more or less lofty, according to the irregularities of the cave's 
mouth, and leaning against the almost perpendicular rock that 
towers three or four hundred feet aloft. The light materials 
of which they are constructed contrast singularly with the 
massive proportions of the wall that supports them, and from 
which they project considerably in different places with stair- 
cases and covered galleries sustained by props. 




MONASTEEY OF 3aEGASPELION. 



We rode around to the solitary portal situated at the south- 
ern end of the great wall ; and here dismounting, we were 
welcomed by a number of monks, who were seated on a cir- 
cular seat at the door, enjoying the shade and the evening 
breeze. Oriental custom required us to sit down and con- 
verse with them before entering the monastery, to which they 
welcomed us with much apparent cordiality. It devolved on 
me, as spokesman, to give the chief dignitaries some explana- 
tion of the nature of our tour, and to answer whatever inter- 
rogatories their curiosity might prompt them to make. As 
usual, these related principally to the affairs of the capital, 
but more especially to any new phase which the question of 
the possession of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem had as- 
sumed since the last advices. As it was between two and 
three weeks since we had left Athens, we could give them 
little information that was new. H. had visited Megaspe- 
lion, when cruising in the Mediterranean in his own yacht, a 



MONASTEKY OF MEGASPiiLlON. 227 

couple of years since ; but such is the number of strangers 
who from time to time come here to pass a night, that, nat- 
urally enough, the monks did not remember him. Profiting 
by a pause in the conversation, we excused ourselves on the 
ground of our day's travel, and betook ourselves to the room 
prepared for our reception, in one of those singular overhang- 
ing houses that crown the monastery wall. It seemed to be 
the best guest-chamber in the edifice. "We were assured that 
we w^ere but following in the footsteps of royalty. King Otho 
and Queen Amelia being uniformly entertained in this room 
whenever they come hither. 

In the morning we were conducted through the building. 
The church, of course, was the part that the monks took most 
delight in exhibiting. Croziers and crosses, curiously carved, 
with other articles of solid silver, were proudly and admiring- 
ly displayed. But it was the holy " eikon," or picture of the 
Virgin, made, as we were informed, by the hands of St. Luke 
himself, and discovered during the Middle Ages by a princess 
of imperial blood, for which they expected the greatest vener- 
ation. The monks bowed profoundly and crossed themselves 
frequently before it, and reverently kissed the glass with which 
it is protected from the too rude salutations of the vulgar. 
This ugly portrait is, in fact, a bas-relief of poor execution, 
on a blackish wood, and does little credit to the skill of its 
reputed author. If authentic, it would seem to prove that 
St. Luke, besides being a wretched dauber, was a very infe- 
rior sculptor. Fortunately for the artistic reputation of the 
saint, there are tokens of its being a product of mediaeval 
times, as evident as are to be found in any portrait ascribed 
to the same source in the Italian churches. The brazen gates 
of the church, made at Jannina in Epirus, some seventy or 
eighty years ago, are of elaborate workmanship. 

From the church we were conducted, through intricate cor- 
ridors and dark stairways, to the kitchens, the baking-rooms, 
the refectory, and the wine-cellars — each department being 
on a scale commensurate with the size of the monastery and 
the number of its inmates. There were a number of large 
casks of wine in the cellar, the two largest, Stamato and An- 
gelica, being enormous. Their exact capacity I can not tell; 



228 STYX MEGASPEHON VOSTITZA. 

but the weight of the wine they could contain is estimated re- 
spectively at 40,000 and 60,000 pounds.* The wine kept here 
is all produced by the vineyards belonging to Megaspelion, and 
intended for home consumption. Not less than 160,000 or 
170,000 pounds of wine are drunk at the monastery in the 
course of the year. Most of the revenues of the establish- 
ment are derived from the sale of the Corinthian currant, 
about 400,000 pounds of which are yearly sold by its agents. 
This year the crop has so signally failed, that the holy friars 
are in great trouble respecting their resources. 

The library is contained in a small, dark room, and is kept 
perpetually under lock and key. There seemed to be about 
a thousand or fifteen hundred books and bound manuscripts ; 
but in former times much larger and more valuable collec- 
tions existed here. On two different occasions the library 
fell a prey to the conflagrations which reduced the monastery 
to ashes, notwithstanding the tutelar care of the sacred image 
of the "Panagia" in the chapel. The remaining manuscripts 
are principally transcripts of the Greek liturgical works and 
of the Gospels, and many of them are beautifully illuminated, 
after the manner of the Middle Ages. We could not exam- 
ine the works critically in the short time at our disposal ; but 
this had undoubtedly been done by others before us. It is a 
remarkable fact, that this small library is probably the largest 
collection of books to be found in any monastic institution in 
Greece; while the number contained in the monasteries of 
Mount Athos, in Turkey, though much larger, is not supposed 
to be very considerable. The incessant wars to which this 
fair but most unfortunate country has for ages been subject, 
the spoliations of western travelers, and the ignorance and 
carelessness of the inhabitants, all combined, are scarcely sufli- 
cient to account for such a total dearth of mediaeval literature. 

We strolled through the gardens and along the hill-side for 
a fine view of the monastery, to commit to paper, while the 
" hieromonachus," who had been our chief guide, pointed out 
to us the elements of its strength, and narrated the most strik- 
ing incidents of its history. In 1770, during the revolt in 
which the Peloponnesians madly involved themselves by giv- 
* 16,000 and 24.000 okes. 



DEFENCE OF THE MONASTERY. 229 

ing faith to the lying promises of Russian emissaries, the wary 
monks stood aloof, and, indeed, lent their aid to the Turkish 
captives, multitudes of whom they fed, lodged, and sent in 
safety to their own homes across the Corinthian Gulf. This 
kindness proved the salvation of Megaspelion, and was amply 
rewarded by the protection extended to the truly philanthropic 
monks. 

Such a course was no longer practicable when the flames 
of the Revolution of 1821 burst out, and the conflict was a 
struggle, not for mere political supremacy, but for national 
and individual existence. The question now to be decided, 
was whether a single Greek should be permitted to breathe ; 
for a deep scheme had been laid by the Sultan and his advisers 
to annihilate every vestige of the Hellenic race, and replace it 
by a barbarous horde of Albanians and Turks, that should 
render more implicit obedience to the Porte's commands. It 
was, consequently, one of the objects of the Turkish generals 
to reduce this fortress, commanding so important a passage 
between the Gulf and the interior. But the monk pointed 
out with pride the spot where the intruders were met and 
repulsed by the "Pallecaria," or braves, collected by the 
monastery. On a former occasion, we were informed, the 
enemy had climbed to the top of the cliff overhanging the 
cave, whence they hurled down huge fragments of rock, with 
the intention of overwhelming the building ; but the project- 
ing ledges themselves protected it from injury. With super- 
stitious reverence our guide directed attention to one large 
boulder on the verge of the impending rock, which seems to 
be just about to fall. The invader had, with much toil, con- 
veyed it to its present situation ; but the Virgin, the patron 
of the monastery, interposed her power, and miraculously se- 
cured it fast just as it was about to descend. 

There are altogether some two hundred monks at present 
in the building, besides fifty more attending to the cultivation 
of their farms in different parts of the Morea. Their life is 
an easy one, and their accommodations are much superior to 
those of the common people, by the sweat of whose brows they 
live. 

Starting early this morning, we took the road for Vostitza. 



230 STYX MEGASPELION VOSTITZA . 

At first it led along the small stream Buraicus, but presently 
diverged to the left. We lunched at a solitary khan in full 
view of the mountains of Northern Greece, and thence de- 
scended into a narrow plain bordering on the Gulf of Cor- 
inth. While the baggage proceeded at once toward Vostitza^ 
we turned to the right, and rode half an hour or more, to visit 
the Cave of Hercules Buraicus ; but it was scarcely worth oiir 
trouble. It contained nothing remarkable, with the excep- 
tion of some niches, which may have been intended for the re- 
ception of votive offerings. We had wandered some distance 
from the public road, and we now took a more direct course 
across the plain, which was partly overgrown with myrtle, 
laurel, and oleander. The vicinity of Vostitza, however, is 
admirably watered, and almost marshy. It is cultivated chief- 
ly with thriving vineyards of the Corinthian currant, of which 
Patras is the principal mart. Vostitza itself we found to be 
more handsome and well built than most Greek towns of its 
size, and with a population of only a few thousands, possessed 
of considerable commerce. It is built on the site of ^gium, 
the most prominent city of the famous Achaean league. Its 
ancient and modern pre-eminence it owes to a harbor or road- 
stead, on a coast where there is a great lack of safe anchorage. 
There are few or no remains of the ancient city, and the most 
interesting object we saw was a plane-tree of gigantic propor- 
tions, growing near the water's edge.* 

We wished to cross the Corinthian Gulf at this place, and, 
as soon as we arrived, empowered Nicholas to make inquiries 
for a suitable caique to transport us, with our luggage and 
beasts of burden, to the opposite shore. He soon returned, 
and reported that there was but one such boat in port, and 

* Our guide Nicholas told me that at a small village called Pteri, a 
short distance northwest of Megaspelion, on the River Euphrasia, there 
is a much larger plane-tree. It is hollow, and in the cavity twenty-four 
persons can stand at once. This is pretty well for a country that has 
suifered so generally from the improvident destruction of the forests. 
The plane-tree, or platanus, is the largest that grows in these regions, 
and is probably as long-Hved as any. There is one upon the banks 
of the Bosphorus, near Constantinople, which is believed to have been 
that under which Godfroi de Bouillon harangued the first Crusaders, at 
the close of the eleventh century of our era. 



BAKGAINING FOK A BOAT. 231 

that the owner, having learned our situation, demanded the 
sum of one hundred and fifty drachms. The captain came to 
see us in person, and affirmed he would not abate a jot from 
the exorbitant price he asked. In reply, we offered him sev- 
enty drachms, and assured him that if he refused that price 
we should go on to Patras, where we were sure of finding an 
abundance of suitable boats. He left us no less than three or 
four times, and each time returned with a lower offer. He 
gradually fell to a hundred and twenty-five, ninety, eighty, 
and finally seventy, drachms, and agreed to start as soon as 
we desired. 




INTEEIOK OF THE ACEOPOLIB OF CENOB. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



DELPHI—PARNASSUS— CH^RONEA. 

"Beneath the vintage moon's uncertain light, 

And some faint stars that pierced the film of cloud, 
Stood those Parnassian peaks before my sight, 
Whose fame throughout the ancient world was loud." 

Delphi, An Elegy. 

It was late, however, before we were fairly under way. The 
chief cause of detention was the difficulty experienced in ship- 
ping our horses, which had to be hoisted into the caique. To 
this unpleasant operation some submitted with very good 
grace, while others presented a sufficiently ridiculous appear- 
ance, by their plunges and struggles in mid air. H. and I had 
spent the morning in bathing in the Gulf, and visiting the chief 
shops of Vostitza. 

At length we started, with a light but favorable breeze, 
heading almost directly eastward for Cape Andromachi. Had 
it blown fresher, we might without difficulty have made the 
Scala of Salona before nightfall. But the wind died away 
as we were rounding the Cape and entering the Crissaean Bay, 
at the bottom of which our destined harbor lay. We were 
becalmed, however, in the midst of a splendid panorama of 



NE(JKOPOH« OF DELPHI. 233 

mountains; Parnassus and Helicon being most conspicuous 
on the northern side, and Cyllene, Khelmos, and Olonos on 
the south. Our mattresses were spread on the deck, for the 
stench of the small cabin was quite intolerable. 

In the morning at daybreak we found ourselves still be- 
calmed, within a mile or two of last evening's position- To- 
ward eight o'clock we passed the town of Galaxidi, and came 
to anchor opposite the Scala, or landing-place, of the large vil- 
lage of Salona, which lies a few miles in the interior. Here 
we experienced another delay of an hour or two before setting 
out for Delphi. We thought it not worth while to go on to 
Salona, the site of the ancient important town of Amphissa, 
and, accordingly, took a direct route through Crissa. The 
valley we were riding through was plentifully watered by 
streams descending from the hills, and covered with the most 
flourishing vineyards I had yet seen in Greece. It was not 
long before we entered a beautiful olive-grove. As usual, the 
trees are supplied with moisture by means of a system of ca- 
nals, branching off into multitudes of shallow channels, one 
of which runs around each tree. Just beyond the grove, we 
rode by the village of Crissa, which shows some remains of 
remote antiquity in the way of polygonal walls. Delphi was 
situated in a valley beyond, and its walls ran along the crest 
of the hill back of Crissa, but a few hundred yards distant. 
For some minutes, as we approached them, we seemed to be 
traversing the cemetery of the city of the Pythian Apollo. 
Some of the sepulchres were mere sarcophagi cut in the solid 
rock, while others were chambers of more or less rude con- 
struction. We dismounted and entered one apparently the 
most perfect. It consisted of a single chamber, on three of 
whose sides jvere hewn receptacles for the dead, who had 
long since mouldered away. It is rare to find any traces of 
the covers of these sarcophagi. In the wall behind two of 
them were small niches, apparently designed for the reception 
of statues of infernal or tutelar deities, and perhaps of lamps 
kept burning there by the devotion of surviving friends. A 
second tomb we found quite similar to this, and beyond it a 
third excavation in the form of a semicircular seat, looking 
out upon the Delphic vale. 



234 DELPHI FARNASSUS-— OH^ROKEA. 

This celebrated valley opened upon our view suddenly as 
we rose rapidly toward the high and precipitous cliffs on the 
north. My first impression was a feeling of disappointment 
at its smallness, and I could scarce persuade myself that this 
was in reality the world-renowned seat of the oracle. Instead 
of any level piece of ground, Delphi was built on a steep slope, 
extending probably not over a mile in length, and certainly 
not half a mile wide from the rocks where we stood to the 
much more rugged heights on the opposite side. Down below 
runs the River Pleistus ; beyond rises the bold face of Mount 
Cirphis ; and above, on the northeast, are two remarkable 
crags, in a cleft between which springs the Castalian fountain. 
Evidently the vale could scarcely be cultivated without the 
construction of terraces. Accordingly, we find numerous walls 
of various periods, built as well for this purpose as to serve 
for the support of the platforms of the numerous edifices. 
They form one of the most striking features of the spot. 

" Still could I dimly trace the terraced lines, 
Diverging from the cliffs on either side ; 
A theatre whose steps were filled with shrines ' 
And rich devices of Hellenic pride. 

***** 
" The place whence Gods and worshippers had fled ; 
Only, and they too tenantless, remain 
The hallowed chambers of the pious dead." 

The rather neat-looking village of Castri occupies the very 
site of the, celebrated shrine of Apollo, of which few traces 
remain. A church of St. Elias is built on the foundation of 
an antique structure, perhaps the " Palace of the Amphicty- 
ons" — a body which met alternately here and at Thermopylae. 
On the highest portion of the slope we traced, the stadium, 
so buried by the earth that continually washes down from 
the hills, that only two of the uppermost seats appear. The 
Delphic games were periodically celebrated here in honor of 
the god of divination and the oracle. The theatre was im- 
mediately below, but its form only is left imprinted on the 
soil; and near by is the fountain Cassotis. On the whole, 
the ruins of Delphi are unsatisfactory, with the exception 
of the famous fountain Castalia. which we visited next. It 



CASTALIAN FOUNTAIN. 235 

was of old a curious, open basin, of oblong shape, cut out of 
the solid rock at the foot of a perpendicular cliff, in which 
there are still to be seen three niches for statues. There was 
a secret channel behind, now laid open to view, the object of 
which was to draw off the superfluous water. In front of the 
fountain are three or four steps leading down into it. The 
side of the basin has been much broken, so that now the wa- 
ter runs through as a mere rill. Some Castriote women were 
washing clothes there, while others came from time to time 
to draw water. The whole interior, where the Pythia used 
to perform her ablutions before entering the temple, was filled 
with a thick growth of thrifty weeds and bushes, and bathing 
was entirely out of the question. We contented ourselves 
with tasting some of the sacred water. 

This, then, was the famed seat of the oracle, where a fren- 
zied girl, by her delirious exclamations, influenced the coun- 
cils of distant monarchs, and decided the fates of the globe. 
Even in its desolation Delphi is beautiful, and no spot could 
be more appropriate for the shrine of a god than this secluded 
vale. But when its temples and princely palaces were in 
their pristine glory, few localities could have presented a 
more magnificent sight than burst upon the eye of the pagan 
pilgrims as, in solemn procession, they crossed the hills that 
seem to isolate Delphi from the rest of the world. The small 
village of Castri has succeeded to all this glory. Its houses 
are, perhaps, somewhat more respectable than those of the 
surrounding places, and its inhabitants lay claim to some sort 
of superiority over their neighbors, the Arachovites, who are 
probably of Albanian origin. 

Having satisfied ourselves by a visit to each of the remains 
of antiquity, and examining the inscriptions whose discovery 
cost the distinguished Miiller his life,* we proceeded to the 

* Contrary to the advice of his friends and acquaintances at Athens, 
he attempted a tour through Boeotia and Phocis in midsummer. At 
Delphi he interested himself much in superintending some excavations 
on a part of the site of the Temple of Apollo, which were rewarded with 
the discovery of very valuable inscriptions. Such was his impatience 
to learn their contents, that, without waiting for the cool of the day, or 
until they should he transported to some shady place, he sat down in 
the sun to copy them. A violent fever was the result of this imprudent 



•>36 DELPHI PARNASSUS— CIJL?aiONE A . 

private house where we were to lodge. Nicholas meanwhile 
had been making inquiries respecting the practicability of at- 
tempting the ascent of Mount Parnassus. The result was 
that he brought us two or three men who pretended to be ex- 
perienced guides. They deterred us from undertaking it, and 
urged that the great quantity of snow that had fallen of late 
would render it impossible to reach the summit of the mount- 
ain. We scarcely knew how much faith to put in their rep- 
resentations, remembering our deceitful guide at the Styx, 
and were not too sure that Nicholas (who disliked all mount- 
ain excursions) had not persuaded them to tell us this story. 
The event showed that our surmises were incorrect; but we 
had concluded at any rate to visit the Corycian Cave, and we 
should lose no time by visiting Parnassus likewise. 

It was a clear morning that we chose for the ascent. At 
four o'clock we were climbing the mountain behind Delphi, 
having left orders for our agoyates to proceed with our horses 
and luggage directly to Arachova, a small village some dis- 
tance above Castri on the Pleistus, where we were to descend. 
The mules hired for the occasion were by no means remark- 
able for elegance, and too much inclined to weakness of the 
knees. The only check upon their propensity to fall was a 
halter, and, to guide them, it was necessary occasionally to ad- 
minister a kick to one side or other of the head, as occasion 
required. With the exception, however, of finding ourselves 
once or twice landed on our feet over our mules' heads, we 
suffered no great inconvenience. 

We shortly reached an elevated table-land, two thousand 
feet or more above the level of the sea, at whose extent I was 
somewhat astonished. We rode some distance over it, and 
then dismounted to clamber up to the entrance of the Cory- 
cian Cave. It is a large cavern, of no great beauty, but de- 
serving a visit for its historical associations. , When Xerxes 
invaded Greece, as Herodotus tells us, the Delphians sent 
their wives and children over into Achaia, and themselves re- 
tired, some to Amphissa, others to the summits of Parnassus 
and the Corycian Cave. There they lay concealed until 

exposure, and he returned to Athens only to hnger a few days, and be 
buried on the neighboring hill of Colonos. 



THE CORYCIAN CAVE. 



237 




.VIEW OF UBLrill A;\D MOtTNT PABNASSITS, 



Apollo vindicated his honor by putting to rout the sacrile- 
gious invaders, upon whom they fell and slew a considerable 
number.* We passed through several chambers with tapers 
in our hands, having taken off our shoes in order to walk 
more securely over the slippery floors. Our guides, for the 
purpose of expediting our visit as much as possible, wished 
us to restrict ourselves to the principal halls ; but we explored 
the most considerable portion by creeping or crawling through 
one or more low passages. The Corycian Cave was dedicated 
to Pan and the Nymphs. At present the peasants call it 
" Saranta Aulce^'' or the forty halls. 

After leaving the cave, we rode across the plain to the ha- 
lyvia, or summer village, belonging to Arachova, where there 
was as yet not a soul to be seen. In the vicinity there was 
a large pond or mountain lake, whose only outlet is a subter- 
ranean one, giving rise, it is said, to the Castalian spring at 
Delphi. And now commenced the ascent of Mount Parnas- 
sus proper, which rises from this high plain. At first our 
path lay through a wood of pine and fir trees, reaching as far 
* Herodotus, 8, 36-38. 



238 DELPHI PARNASSUS CH^RONEA, 

as the place where the snow first appeared in considerable 
patches. There we were obliged to dismount, although usu- 
ally it is possible to go much farther with mules. Now be- 
gan our troubles. Our guide, as well as the peasant who ac- 
companied us, was utterly unaccustomed to walking through 
the snow, and rather than trust himself upon it, even for a 
short distance, would lead us around twice or thrice as far. 
Presently, however, it was no longer possible to avoid the 
snow, and then loud were the complaints of the Greeks at the 
hardship they were undergoing. It would have been easy in 
fine weather to have reached the summit within an hour and 
a half; but at the end of a couple of hours, what with the 
depth of the snow, the circuitous route we had taken, and 
the slowness of our "mountaineers," we found ourselves yet 
a long distance below the highest peak, though high enough 
to gain a fine view. It would have been more extensive, had 
not the air been somewhat hazy toward the horizon. It was 
clearly impossible to reach the summit and return that day. 
H., who seemed most disappointed, proposed that we should 
bivouac for the night on the first bare spot of ground we came 
to, and make the ascent on the morrow. The rest did not 
relish so much the idea of an exposure to the night air in the 
vicinity of the snow, vdthout more protection than an over- 
coat would afford us ; but we had some difficulty in persuad- 
ing H. to relinquish his scheme. In fact, it was rather tan- 
talizing to be so near the top of Parnassus, and yet fail to 
reach it. As it turned out, it was well that we did not re- 
main ; for the next day the mountain tops were enveloped in 
clouds, which would effectually have deprived us of our de- 
sired prospect. ' 

Very unwillingly we turned our faces toward Arachova ; 
and the Greeks, who had positively refused to proceed far- 
ther, on the plea of fatigue, once more rose and led the way. 
Arriving at Arachova, we strolled through the village, which 
is picturesquely situated on the mountain side. The costume 
of the women was peculiar. They wore their hair long, and 
hanging down behind in a long cue; while their red flannel 
aproiis and short dresses gave them quite a picturesque ap- 
pearance. I had formerly known the " didascalos," or teach- 



PASS OF SCHISTE. 239 

er, of the public school, who had studied in the University of 
Athens ; but as the day was now Avell advanced, and our ex- 
cursion had been a fatiguing one, we resolved not to seek him 
out. 

From Arachova our plan had been to proceed to the town 
of Livadia, and thither we sent our luggage directly. For a 
couple of hours we accompanied it, until we reached the nar- 
row pass of Schiste, between Mount Cirphis and the base of 
Mount Parnassus. At Schiste, in ancient as in modern times, 
three great roads met, leading respectively to Delphi, to Liva- 
dia and Thebes, and to Daulis. Here it was that, according 
to the tragic poets, QEdipus accidentally met his father, Laius, 
whom he unwittingly slew, and so fulfilled the prediction of 
the Delphic oracle. It is a lonely spot, upon which the frown- 
ing mountains look down in perfect harmony with such a deed 
of blood. But toward the east the defile opens, and discloses 
to the view a portion of the smiling plain of Bceotia, with the 
Copaic Lake in the midst. 

There were three ruined cities, lying considerably to the 
north of the direct road to Livadia, which we desired to visit. 
"We turned off here, and were not long in reaching the citadel 
of Daulis, overhanging a village of the same name. The for- 
tifications, still remaining in good preservation, occupy the 
summit of a circular hill, near the western termination of a 
valley that lies on the eastern side of Parnassus, and opens 
into the great central plain of Boeotia. From the masonry 
of the wall, the stones of which are polygonal in form, but 
approach to regular courses, it would seem that the period of 
its erection must have been as early, at least, as the fifth cen- 
tury before Christ. But there are also indications of more 
recent constructions of Frank or Turkish origin. 

It was the v/ork of a few minutes to inspect all that re- 
mained of Daulis, and we hastily rode on for an hour to the 
second acropolis — that of Panojjeus. Our mid-day repast was 
taken in the hamlet of Ai Ylasi, at its foot. The house that 
Nicholas chose chanced to have a board floor; but it could 
not boast a single chair. A broom was borrowed of the host- 
ess ; and, having cleared a spot to sit upon, we ate our lunch 
in peace, without disturbing the women, who, in another part 



240 DELPHI— PARNASSUSt-CH^RONEA. 

of the same room, were busy picking cotton. The seeds were 
removed by means of a machine working with three or four 
rollers — a poor substitute for the American cotton-gin. The 
hill of Panopeus is lofty, and from its crest the eye takes in 
the entire plain of Chseronea. The remains of its walls we 
found to be the most interesting we had seen since leaving 
Messene, from their height and strength as well as their an- 
tiquity. But neither Daulis nor Panopeus have had the good 
fortune to occupy a piiominent place on the page of history. 

Not so with Chaeronea, whose fortress, some two or three 
miles farther to the east, was the next object to be visited. 
Occupying a central position, in the neighborhood of a fertile 
district, and on the direct route between the monarchy of 
Macedon and the free republics of Greece, it enjoyed the un- 
enviable distinction of three times furnishing a battle-field 
upon which the die of empire was cast. The first of these 
conflicts, in point of time, was of little moment, scarcely ex- 
ceeding a skirmish between the Athenians and the aristocratic 
party of Boeotia (b.c. 447), and is lost sight of in the compar- 
ison with the fearful contest fought a hundred and nine years 
later.* Philip of Macedon had at length cast off his mask of 
dissimulation ; for his specious arts, his seductive speeches, 
and his more potent gifts, had accomplished their full design. 
Before this, his aim had been merely to gain time, and to se- 
cure the undisturbed execution of his plans of aggrandizement. 
Among the measures taken for the furtherance of these, he 
counted as no lavish expenditure the bribes given to -Slschines 
and others, whose names are consigned to the same infamy 
with his. The fault of the Athenians was not so much that 
they did not act, as that they were perpetually too late in 
their enterprises. They never moved a finger to save Oly..- 
thus or Potidsea, until those cities were ready to fall like ripe 
fruit into the mouth of the eater. The prophetic eye of De- 
mosthenes had long detected the certainty of the impending 
struggle, whose scene it was in the power of the Greeks to 
choose. They might have met and crushed the infant mon- 
ster upon his own soil, where a victory would have been 

* The third and last battle of Chseronea was between the Romans, 
under Sylla, and the army of Mithridates, who was defeated (b.c. 85). 



BATTLE OF CH^RONEA. 



241 



more decisive, or a defeat less disastrous. Their sloth induced 
them to neglect the propitious moment, and sufier the conflict 
to take place at their very gates, and to be no longer, as De- 
mosthenes had long since foretold, one for supremacy and 
power abroad, but for their own liberty and the possession of 
Attica itself. Philip was suffered to advance to the banks of 
the Boeotian river, Cephissus (which flows through the valley 
we were in), and here upon its banks the matter was decided 
by force of arms. The exact spot on which the battle was 
fought can not now be recognized with perfect certainty, for 
the temple of Hercules that marked it has disappeared. But 
it is none the less positive that, before evening, this plain was 
covered with slain, and the hills with the fugitives. The Sa- 
cred Band of Thebes alone, to a single man, fell at their 
posts. From that day the light of freedom never dawned 
again upon Greece. 




THE FLAIN OF CH^KONEA. 



We climbed the Acropolis of Chaeronea with much greater 
alacrity than those we had previously inspected. The hill is 
loftier and more extensive ; but we found the walls in a very- 
poor state of preservation. They seem to have been double, 
and of great strength. At the base of the hill, on the edge of 
the plain, we examined a curious little theatre, resembling that 
of Argos, and, like it, cut out of the living rock. On the face 
of the rock separating the rows of seats I noticed a rude in- 

L 



242 DELPHI PARNASSUS CH^RONEA. 

scription in very large letters, purporting to be a dedication 
of the theatre to Apollo ; but a part of it is at present scarce- 
ly legible. -Near by is an ancient fountain, still serving for 
the neighboring village of Capurna, which is supplied by an 
old aqueduct. These are the only traces to be found of the 
city of Cha3ronea. 

Mounting our horses again, we rode for five minutes across 
the plain to a tumulus opened some years ago. It had long 
been suspected of being an artificial mound, commemorative 
of one of the battles fought in the neighborhood. On digging, 
the revolutionary chief Odysseus discovered a colossal lion of 
white marble, arid of good workmanship, which no doubt was 
the one described by Pausanias, as erected by the Boeotians 
over their countrymen who fell on that memorable day by the 
hand of the Macedonians. It is now in fragments, scattered 
about the trench, just as it lay twenty years ago. How its 
destruction was wrought, I can not state with certainty. I 
was informed by several persons that we owe it to the discov- 
erer himself, who, suspecting that the statue contained some 
hidden treasure, deliberately blew it up with gunpowder. It 
need scarcely be added that his avarice was not rewarded with 
the object of his search. If the alleged circumstance be true, 
we shall have less reason to regret that such a barbarian met 
a tragical end in the Acropolis of Athens a few years later. 

Leaving Ch^eronea, we now turned southward. The valley 
we were also quitting seemed fertile, and well watered by other 
streams, as well as by the Cephissus, which, entering it from 
the north, nearly opposite Panopeus, flows through the lower 
portion to join the Copaic Lake. But though susceptible of 
such general cultivation, we were struck with the fact that 
scarce a third or fourth part seems to be tilled. True, some 
allowance must be made for some of the crops, such as maize, 
cotton, and tobacco, which were yet to be planted during this 
and the ensuing months. Still it can not be denied that a 
very large portion of Greece is not cultivated at all, and of 
that portion reduced to some kind of cultivation there is little 
that is cared for as it should be. Covered as the country is 
with a network of mountains and hills, its valleys are most of 
them tolerably rich, some of them even exceedingly fertile ; 



CAVE OF TKOPHONIUS. 243 

and all the products of the temperate zones might be raised in 
abundance. There is not the slightest doubt that a much 
greater population could be sustained. Nicholas, with whom 
I was conversing on the subject this afternoon, said that, from 
what he had seen of the country (and there was scarcely a dis- 
trict that he had not traversed), he was certain that, instead 
of a million inhabitants, Greece should support three or four 
millions. And how can we doubt that, in Hellenic times, 
when the teeming population could not be nourished by the 
domestic produce, and recourse was had to the granaries of 
Pontus and Egypt, with a much higher degree of cultivation, 
Gree(?e may have contained at least five or six million souls, 
exclusive of Thessaly and Epirus ? 

Our ride to Livadia was uninteresting, but was diversified 
by an accident which well nigh proved fatal to one of our par- 
ty, who was precipitated, head foremost, from his horse, but 
providentially escaped uninjured. Livadia, or Lebadea, as the 
name is commonly written, is prettily situated, partly on the 
theatre-shaped hills, and partly in the plain, in the midst of 
which a smaller conical hill, crowned with a Turkish fortifi- 
cation, formed the ancient acropolis. Here, in a khan, and 
in the vicinity of an old Mohammedan minaret, we obtained 
lodgings for the night. While dinner was preparing, we sal- 
lied forth to view the modern town. It has certainly retro- 
graded from the time of the Turkish dominion, when it was so 
important as to give its name to the whole of northern Greece, 
although even now it is by no means insignificant, with a pop- 
ulation of perhaps three or four thousand souls. Finding lit- 
tle to interest, we walked up the narrow gorge behind the cit- 
adel, through which the river of Lebadea descends, visiting the 
probable site of the sacred grove, and of the famous oracle of 
Trophonius. The situation of the cave is not certain. It may 
have been one that we saw with its inner extremity blocked 
up with stones. There are numerous niches cut in the rocks 
on either side of the ravine, to receive such votive offerings as 
those who consulted the oracle chose to dedicate to the hero : 
but, though crevices and caves abound, there is none answer- 
ing to the deep, mysterious cavern which the devotee used to 
enter with so much awe : nor have I heard that by entering 



244 DELPHI PARNASSUS CH^RONEA. 

any of these, a single Greek has lost his accustomed flip- 
pancy.* 

There is a large fountain close by, the exact counterpart of 
the Castalian fount at Delphi, with similar niches behind it, 
and numerous passages in the adjoining rock; and the con- 
jecture seems not improbable that these facilitated the pagan 
priests in deceiving the people who came to consult the noted 
oracle. From this and an adjoining spring, copious streams 
of water issue, which straightway form a respectable river, 
turning some mills in the town, and watering the plain. 

The day that we were to leave Livadia, we found, on rising, 
that the rain was descending in torrents, and we were, (Conse- 
quently, delayed several hours in the khan, where, for the first 
time during our tour, there was presented to us that invaria- 
ble attendant on a Swiss inn — the strangers' book — in which 
we were expected to inscribe our names. This mark of ap- 
proaching civilization was due to the circumstance of our being 
but a couple of days' journey from the capital. The short ex- 
cursions to which most travelers in Greece' limit themselves, 
rarely extend farther in this direction than Thebes, Livadia, 
and perhaps Delphi. 

About nine o'clock the rain ceased, and we pushed forward 
toward Scripu, on the margin of Lake Copais. The rain had 
swollen the torrents, and we were obliged to make a long cir- 
cuit to avoid them. The Lebadean plain is exceedingly level, 
and so low that the lake can not be seen from it at all. Yet, 
though well watered, it is less fertile than that of Chseronea. 
There was an old monastery at Scripu, into whose large court 
we drove, and took possession of one of the monks' cells for 
our mid-day lunch. The church, standing on the opposite 
side of the square, is extraordinarily large for this retired re- 
gion. The great quantity of ancient materials employed in 
its construction is supposed to indicate that this was the site 
of a temple dedicated to the Graces. Numerous inscriptions, 
apparently of the time of the Roman domination in Greece, 

* Addison's Essay in the " Spectator" contains a livelier and more 
graphic account than any ancient author of the fabled properties of the 
Cave of Trophonius, the visitor to vv^hich was said never to smile again 
after his return. 



ACROPOLIS OF ORCHOMENUS. 245 

are imbedded in the walls, and a statue or two have been re- 
cently dug up. Inside of the church there are several drums 
of columns of the same singular construction as those employ- 
ed in the interior of the Phigalian Temple of Apollo, and a 
few small sculptured marbles fixed in the whitewashed walls, 
from which the old Byzantine paintings have been effaced. 

Scripu occupies the site of the ancient Orchomenus, one of 
the most prominent towns in the Boeotian state, and a perse- 
vering enemy of the Theban power. The only ruin in the 
village itself is the so-called " Treasury of Minyas," origin- 
ally an edifice similar to the Treasury of Atreus — the more 
interesting from its mention by Pausanias as among the most 
wonderful objects in Greece, and the earliest of the remark- 
able edifices of this construction. I was disappointed at find- 
ing so small a portion of the original structure standing, 
or at least visible (for there may remain a great part of it 
entire within the hill). In fact, there is nothing to be seen 
but a portion of the great portal, one of whose immense slabs 
remains, measuring sixteen feet long by eight wide, and 
over 'three in thickness. It presents to us, as it were, a first 
trial of the architectural skill that reared the monument of 
Atreus. 

The remains of most interest and greatest extent, however, 
are those of the acropolis, built upon a ridge running up 
westward from the city, and at the farther end elevated and 
narrow. This point was occupied by the citadel, which was 
situated on a high rock, and was reached from within the 
fortifications by a stairway cut in the rocly. Here the walls 
are in a better state of preservation than elsewhere, rising to 
some twenty-two courses of stone. The chief point of inter- 
est at Orchomenus is its eventful history. In the early ages 
it occupied the first rank among the Boeotian cities — long the 
rival, sometimes the superior, of Thebes itself. So limited a 
territory could contain but one mistress ; and it was the lot 
of Orchomenus to succumb to the power and ambition of the 
city of Cadmus. Still, in every war Orchomenus was always 
to be found siding with the other independent cities of the 
district in defence of their common liberties. It was not till 
the year 368 B.C., that the project, long entertained, but op- 



246 DELPHI PARNASSUS— CHJ£RONEA. 

posed by the humanity and policy of Epaminondas himself, 
was, during his absence in the Peloponnesus, actually put in 
execution : Orchomenus was razed to the ground, and its in- 
habitants either slain or sold into slavery. At the time that 
this barbarous measure of policy was consummated, Orchom- 
enus was at peace with the Thebans. Only a few years 
elapsed before the ruined walls were restored, though the new 
city never recovered its pristine influence, or a tithe of the 
wealth it was fabled to have possessed in the days of its old 
king, Minyas. 

It is interesting to notice, in the fortifications now extant, 
the remains of walls, some of which evidently belong to the 
fourth century before the Christian era, while other parts are 
with equal certainty to be attributed to the more ancient city. 
The walls leading down the hill from the citadel, and inclos- 
ing the triangular space occupied by the city, are built of 
large and irregular masses of stone, such as were employed 
in primitive times. Hence it seems clear that the destruc- 
tion of Orchomenus was not complete ; but the Thebans were 
content with overthrowing so much of the walls as to render 
their restoration the work of months or years. 

From the top of the tower, to which we climbed by about 
ninety steps, we obtained a wide view over the central plain 
of Boeotia, and extending from Mount Parnassus on the 
west to Parnes and the distant mountains of Euboea east- 
ward, with the hills of Locris to the north, and the snow- 
capped peaks of CithaBron and Helicon toward the south. 
Below us lay Lake Copais, into which the Cephissus and a 
number of smaller streams pour their waters. But, although 
the spring had been uncommonly wet, the lake seemed rather 
an extensive marsh, with large patches of water in its midst. 
It has no outlet above ground ; but there are katavothra, or 
subterranean passages at the opposite extremity, near Thebes, 
through which it discharges into the channel of Euboea, not 
far above Chalcis. We endeavored to trace out the plan of 
the citadel, but were not entirely successful, as the walls of 
which it is composed are somewhat intricate. In the centre 
was a large excavation, probably for a cistern. The walls 
from below run up almost contiguous to each other, and seem 



VICTORY OV THE CATALANS. 247 

to have served merely to keep up a communication between 
the town and the fortress. 

The vicinity of Orchomenus was the scene of a battle of 
considerable interest about the year a.d. 1310. The "Cata- 
lan Grand Company," a band of Spanish adventurers, had 
hired themselves to Walter de Brienne as auxiliary troops. 
When the Duke of Athens found them too dangerous and 
unruly subjects, and commanded them to depart, they refused 
to do so unless their arrears should be paid up, and they 
be permitted to march into the Morea. They consequently 
took up their station on the banks of the Cephissus, near Or- 
chomenus, and awaited the attack of the duke, who soon ap- 
peared at the head of fifteen thousand men. The Catalans 
had well chosen their ground. They had turned the course 
of the Cephissus upon the low lands that intervened between 
them and the enemy ; but the quagmire was concealed by the 
growth of grass clothing the fields. The first impetuous on- 
set of the gallant knights in the train of the duke involved 
them in inextricable confusion. Horse and rider floundered 
and fell in the deceitful bog ; retreat was cut oif by the very 
numbers of the army ; and all the cavalry fell an easy prey 
to the cunning Catalans. The rest of the Athenian host, de- 
prived of their duke and generals, turned their backs and fled. 
Athens itself fell speedily into the hands of the strangers, who 
for seventy-five years enjoyed the possessions of their former 
masters. ' The good old chronicler, Muntaner, oberves that 
after the victory many a stout Catalan soldier received as 
wife a noble lady, for whom the day before he would have 
accounted it an honor to have been allowed to hold a wash- 
basin.* 

We had climbed the hill on foot, leaving our caravan to 
proceed by the plain. We now detected it in the distance 
below, skirting the northeastern base of the hill, and engaged 
in following what is called in modern Greek parlance a 
"kake scala." The term is applied to any rough ascent, es- 
pecially v/here the rock has been hewn out in steps. It is no 
uncommon thing for the traveler to proceed for a quarter of 
an hour over what is thus appropriately styled a "bad stair- 
* Finlay, Mediaeval Greece and Trebizond, p. 1 75. 



248 DELPHI — -PAKNASSUS CHJERONEA. 

case." It is wonderful to see with what ease the beasts of 
burden, however heavily laden, ascend paths that would be 
difficult, if not impossible, for horses differently trained. This 
is owing in part to the manner in which they are shod, with 
irons covering the whole under surface of the foot. We soon 
rejoined our company, who had taken this bad road, as we 
learned, because of the lake which comes up to the very base 
of the hill. 

We had now before us a ride of two hours and a quarter 
(not more than seven or eight miles, at the slow rate we were 
obliged to. travel) to the village of Exarch o. The plain was 
well cultivated, but presented no objects of interest. Just 
before reaching the village we turned to the left to visit an 
ancient acropolis, that of Ahce. Here was the seat of an- 
other of those famous oracles whose responses obtained great 
renown ; and the Apollo of Abae was said to be more ancient 
th^n his namesake at Delphi. This was one of those upon 
whose predictions Croesus relied, and misinterpreted or was 
deceived by it. Xerxes, with his fire-worshipping Persians, 
committed the temple to flames. The hill is defended on two 
sides by precipitous rocks, and elsewhere by a couple of par- 
allel walls, about a hundred yards apart, covering the most 
accessible parts. Their construction is of the second style of 
Pelasgic masonry, in which the stones are beautifully fitted 
to one another. Near the principal gate, we noticed with 
curiosity and admiration a short detached wall, in which, as 
though for ornament's sake, the stones are large and accu- 
rately cut on the edges into circular arcs, and joined in the 
closest manner. 

We retraced our steps to the road, and found our way to 
the khan of Exarcho, where our Arabian Janni had prepared 
for us a good dinner, turning to account all that the village 
could furnish in the way of eatables. When night came, a 
curtain, formed of H.'s Scotch plaid, was all that screened us 
IVom the rest of the household, who were quite numerous. 




KtrCNED TOWEE NEAR CRNOE. 



CHAPTER XVni. 



THERMOPYLiE AND EUBCEA. 

The women of Exarcho and of some of the neighboring 
villages wear a singular and characteristic costume. Their 
hair, in general remarkably long and abundant, is braided, 
and hangs down behind in a cue. To the end of this is at- 
tached a long ribbon, and at the lower extremity of the rib- 
bon a number of silver coins and medals dangle almost about 
the feet of the wearer. Every rare piece of money goes to 
augment the value of this costly head-dress, unless it be added 
to a correspondmg ornament around the neck. The dress is 
a cotton gown reaching the ankles, over which is worn a short 
flannel dress without sleeves ; both being confined by a wide 
belt around the waist. The head is covered with a handker- 
chief hanging down behind, and the feet are thrust into short, 
pointed slippers. Altogether, the appearance of a handsome 
Exarchiote woman is well set off by this costume, of which 
she is naturally proud. As for beauty, we have been disap- 
pointed, in our travels so far, in discovering so little of it. The 
hard domestic toils to which the Greek girl is subjected, almost 
from infancy, commonly destroy all traces of fine looks, and 
give the gait and form of old age to those in whom we look 

L2 



250 



THERMOPYL^ AND EUBlEA. 



for the freshness and elasticity of youth. We certainly saw 
as many as ten handsome men, where we found one female 
whose face was above mediocrity : a fact that would lead us 
to infer much respecting the tyranny with which the feebler 
sex are treated in Greece, even if we did not know that they 

are considered the servants, 
rather than the companions 
and equals, of men. 

Leaving Exarcho, which is 
a retired place, and somewhat 
remote from the direct road 
to Thessaly, we found our way 
in less than an hour to the ru- 
ins of Hyampolis, at Vogdana. 
The circuit of the walls in- 
closes a small space — six or 
seven hundred feet long, and 
half as wide — on very level 
ground. "We followed these 
walls through their whole ex- 
tent, and found them to be- 
long, like' most of the ruined 
fortifications in this vicinity, 
to what may be called the 
third epoch of Greek mason- 
ry — that is, the period when 
the materials began to be laid 
in courses, though by no means regular or of uniform height.* 




PEASANT WOMAN OF EXAECHO. 



* The masonry of the Greeks, as exhibited in the remains of their 
fortified cities and tombs, may be conveniently referred to tlu-ee styles 
or orders, only the third of which seems to have been employed in his- 
toric times. To the first, or Cyclopean order, are to be attributed those 
walls of Tiryns, for instance, and part of those of Mycenas, Avhich are 
built of ponderous masses of stone, scarcely fitted to one another by the 
chisel, and whose crevices are filled by the insertion of smaller stones^. 
In the second, or Pelasgic, the walls are constructed of polygonal stones, 
their edges adapted to each other Avith wonderful precision, and often 
presenting a smoother and more beautiful face than those of either of 
the other classes. In the third order the stones become quadrangular, 
or nearly so, and are laid in regular courses. The second style is known 



FUILlf AT ELATEA. 251 

Soon after passing Hyampolis, the road emerged from the 
hills, and we entered a valley running westward, and situated 
along the northern base of Mount Parnassus, of which it com- 
mands at every point a magnificent view. At Drachmani, 
where we stopped at noon, we sent our pack-horses forward 
toward Pundonitza, while we rode, for a quarter of an hour, 
to the site of the important city of Elatea. The ruins are 
very insignificant ; but, singularly enough, whereas in most 
cases the temples and public edifices alone have escaped entire 
ruin, and not a trace is to be seen of the private houses, here 
the area of the ancient city is covered with long lines of stones, 
forming, perhaps, the foundations of the dwellings of the peo- 
ple. In one place, however, there were remains of the pave- 
ment and cella of a small temple, whose interior seems to have 
been divided by a cross wall. The ground upon which the 
city stood is slightly inclined, and the position was not in it- 
self a very strong one. Yet Elatea, placed on the great route 
leading from Thessaly into Boeotia, was, after Thermopylge, 
the key of Greece. 

Almost the first notice we have of Elatea, is the statement 
that in Xerxes' expedition into Greece it shared the fate of 
many other cities of Greece, and was destroyed with fire. But 
the most interesting incident in its history is connected with 
its seizure by Philip of Macedon in his advance upon Athens 
(B.C. 338). Although Demosthenes had not ceased to portray 
their danger, the Athenians seemed struck with judicial 
blindness, and could not be induced to believe that the wily 
king was endeavoring, by his intrigues, to compass their de- 
struction. The potent spell, which even the enchantments of 
Demosthenes' eloquence was not sufficient to overcome, re- 
mained unbroken, till the blow that seemed to seal the fate of 
the Grecian republics fell suddenly upon the sleepers. Its as- 

to have been generally discontinued previous to the fourth century be- 
fore the Christian era, and polygonal masonry was in use at least as far 
back as the seventh or eighth centuries — perhaps much earlier. The 
Cyclopean mode of construction was employed, in all probability, for 
many ages anterior to that period, and is undoubtedly the oldest yel 
discovered in Greece. For a discussion of this subject, the reader may 
consult Leake, Travels in the Morea^ i., 377, and C. O. Mullek, An- 
cient Art and its Remains, p. 20-22. 



252 THERMOPYLJE AND EUBCEA. 

tounding effect — in a few moments changing the quiet of un- 
concern into terror and despair — is described by the orator in 
a passage which for ages has been cited for its graphic beauty. 
It was addressed to the people. 

/'It was evening when a messenger came and announced to 
the prytanes that Elatea was taken. Then some of them, ris- 
ing up instantly in the midst of their supper,* drove out those 
that occupied booths in the market-place, and set fire to the 
sheds ; and others sent for the generals, and called for the 
trumpeter ; and the city was full of uproar. On the morrow, 
as soon as day dawned, the prytanes summoned the Senate to 
the council-chamber, while you proceeded to the place of pub- 
lic assembly, and, before the Senate had deliberated and framed 
its decree, all the people had taken their seats above. After- 
ward, when the Senate came in, and the prytanes announced 
what had been reported to them, and introduced the messen- 
ger, and he had spoken, the herald asked, ^ Who wishes to ha- 
rano-ue V But no one came forward. And while the herald 
asked repeatedly, none the more did any one. rise, though all 
the generals and all the orators were present, and the common 
voice of the country called upon whoever was capable of it to 
give counsel for its deliverance ; although, if it had been nec- 
essary for those who desired the salvation of the city to come 
forward, all of you would have risen and mounted the plat- 
form."! 

It was at this juncture that Demosthenes arose to encourage 
the dispirited people, and advised the fitting out of that expe- 
dition which was brought to so disastrous a termination at the 
Battle of Chaeronea. 

Having satisfied our curiosity, we returned to the village of 
Drachmani, and thence pursued our way toward Pundonitza, 
crossing Mount Cnemis near a hill of remarkable turret-like 
form, called Fontana. On reaching the top of the ridge, it 
became evident, from the absence of fresh tracks on the road, 
that our baggage-train and J., who accompanied it, though 

* The piytanes were a committee of fifty members of the council, 
who presided in the assembhes of the people, and supped every day at 
the public expense in the prytaneum. 

t Demosthenes de Corona, p. 284. 



A PAPAS AT PUNDONITZA, 253 

they started before us, had not passed that way. Some peas- 
ants whom we met also confirmed our surmises by saying that 
they had met no travelers. In such a predicament, we con- 
cluded to leave Nicholas in the pass until nightfall, while H. 
and I rode on alone to Pundonitza. The path, it is true, Avas 
not very distinct at all times, and it led through a district 
overgrown with bushes and trees ; but, by following the gen- 
eral direction given to us, we descended the ridge in safety, 
and in a couple of hours found our way to the village. 

Our first inquiry on arriving was for the Papas, or parish 
priest, at whose house we had been told we should find a wel- 
come, and the best quarters. On either score we found no 
reason to complain. The priest seemed to welcome us with 
unfeigned cordiality, and was overjoyed on finding out who 
had sent us to his house, and that we could keep up a conver- 
sation with him in his own language. He introduced us to 
hi?, papadia (for he was a married man), and as it was late in 
the afternoon, and we might well be hungry, insisted on set- 
ting before us his own simple fare — bread and cheese. We 
were particularly pleased with the manners and spirit of this 
poor and illiterate priest, v/ho forcibly reminded me of Papa 
Trechas, whom all who have read Coray's introduction to Ho- 
mer's Iliad will remember. In politics his views were liberal, 
free from the Russian tendencies that render the influence of 
the clergy so baneful to the country's welfare ; while his re- 
ligion seemed heartfelt, for the most part devoid of bigotry, 
and very evangelical. 

The cool evening air tempted us to spend our leisure mo- 
ments in strolling to the ruined fort, a short distance off. The 
village stands upon an extended plateau, on the very edge of 
the principal declivity of Mount Cnemis, which, on the east, 
falls abruptly toward the sea, but toward the north overlooks 
the plain of Lamia and Thessaly. Just at the commencement 
of the descent stood the ruined Turkish or Frank castle, to 
whose picturesque ruins we directed our steps, in order to gain 
the best glimpse of the country beyond. The hillock on which 
it stands must have been fortified even in the most remote an- 
tiquity, so important, in a military point of view, is the situ- 
ation. Accordingly, we found some remnants of true Hellenic 



254 THERMOPYLAE AND EUBCEA. 

walls, which can be distinguished from all subsequent additions 
or repairs by the large and regular blocks of which they are 
composed, and the entire absence of mortar in the seams. 
Pundonitza was more prominent, however, in the Middle Ages 
than either before or afterward, and became the seat of a Mar- 
quis, who ruled over a large Frank territory, comprising a 
great part of ancient Locris and Phocis.* But of the Frank 
period nothing remains beyond a ruined chapel and a cistern 
or two of large size. 

We had nearly given up all hope of seeing our companions 
before the next morning, when, between eight and nine o'clock, 
they drove into the court. Nicholas had succeeded in meet- 
ing them, and thus relieved.us from the disagreeable necessity 
of losing another day at this place. 

On the morrow, we commenced at an early hour to de- 
scend from our high position into the lower part of Locris. 
The eye could not weary of contemplating this extended pros- 
pect. The quiet Maliac Bay, or Gulf of Lamia, shut in by 
the island of Euboea on the right, occupied- the central por- 
tion. To the left was the fertile plain of Lamia, watered by 
the Sperchius, and beyond rose the high mountain range of 
Othrys, the northern boundary of modern Greece. We were 
approaching Thermopylc^, a couple of hours or more distant 
from Pundonitza. First, we saw on our left, between the 
high and precipitous hills above Thermopylae and the higher 
Mount Callidromus, the pass — rough and difficult, it is true, 
but yet practicable — disclosed to Xerxes' army by the treach- 
ery and avarice of a neighboring peasant, Epialtes. Through 
it Hydarnes was sent, with a detachment of the Persian force, 
to turn the position of the Lacedaemonians, for whom nothing 
now remained but death or instant retreat. Descending far- 
ther, we passed a rivulet or two, one of which was doubtless 
the fountain where the Spartans were discovered by the Per- 
sian spies adorning their hair previous to the contest. Here, 
too, was the supposed tumulus of the Greeks, over which 
were inscribed those world-renowned lines : 

" Go, stranger, tell the Spartans, here, 
Obedient to their laws, we lie." 

* Buchon, La Grece Continentale et la Moree, p. 285. 



PASS OF TllEKMOPYL^. 



2o5 



Near this famous spot are yet seen the foundations of the first 
part of a great northern wall, built in a subsequent age, and 
stretching from this point to the shore of the Gulf of Corinth, 
beyond Delphi. The builders doubtless hoped, by this per- 
manent construction, to preclude the possibility of any future 
barbarian inroads ; but their posterity received a lesson, often 
taught, but rarely learned, except by bitter experience, that 
neither walls nor fortresses, be they ever so strong, are of 
much avail when they cease to be defended by the courage 
and intrepidity of patriots and freemen. 




VIEW OF THEKMOrYL^. 



We reached Thermopylae at length, and found the spot 
very different from our preconceived notions. But this dis- 
appointment w^as greatly owing to the changes which nature 
herself has effected. Thermopylae is no longer the narrow pass 
where a few hundred brave Spartans could for days hold at 
bay the hundreds of thousands of the enemy. A wide strip 
of land now stretches three miles to the sea, where, as Herod- 
otus tells us, the space between the mountain and the sea was 
once narrow, and there was but a single road.* In spring 
and winter a great part of this is rendered impassable by the 

* Herodottis, 7, 200. 



25Q THERMOPYLJE AND EUBCEA. 

marshy character of the soil ; but in midsummer an army 
might march through any part of it. This is the result of 
the long-continued action of the Sperchius and other smaller 
streams, whose waters are surcharged with alluvial matter, 
sand, and mud, which they deposit at their mouths. Thus, 
it is not only a well-ascertained fact that the plain of La- 
mia has extended itself very considerably toward the east and 
the island of Euboea, but the same process is seen strikingly 
in present operation. The Sperchius, or rather each of its 
two mouths, has formed for itself a long and curved tongue 
of land, jutting out like a pier, through which it flows into 
the sea. Two such moles on opposite sides of the Maliac 
Gulf have stretched far toward each other, and may, in the 
course of centuries, unite and inclose a salt lake, which may 
some day be drained. It will be readily imagined that such 
a process, continued for a series of years, owing to the shift- 
ing of the beds of the rivers, would produce a remarkable 
change in the physical aspect of the country. 

Here, then, it was that Leonidas, with his gallant band, 
met the overwhelming forces of the Persian king, and per- 
ished in the unsuccessful conflict. Here, too, the Roman le- 
gions were opposed by a less resolute people. And, last of 
all, the modern Greeks showed almost equal heroism in the 
defence of the pass, when the operations of nature, during 
long ages, had combined with the inventions of modern art to 
render ineffectual all valor and resolution. What has given 
to the spot such importance, both in ancient and in modern 
times, is the fact that the only road from the north, on the 
eastern side of the peninsula, must enter Greece at this point. 

Next to the battle-scene itself, that which interested me 
most was the celebrated hot spring, from which the neigh- 
borhood derived its name of " Thermopylce," or the "Warm 
Gates." There are, indeed, two springs; but the most re- 
markable, by far, is that which rises in the very midst of 
the ancient pass. Beyond a couple of small salt ponds we 
reached a plain composed of a white calcareous deposit, formed 
by the water flowing from the spring. Even twigs remain- 
ing a short time immersed in it, are incrusted as with stone ; 
but it is brittle, and cracks to pieces when handled. As we 



THESSALY PHTHIOTIS. 257 

rode over the crust, it gave forth a hollow sound. We tasted 
of the water, and found it medicinal, with a strong odor of 
sulphur. Its temperature is about 100° Fahrenheit. There 
was a company of peasants from the neighborhood, who had 
come to prove the healing powers of the water ; but they in- 
formed us that the springs at Neo-Patras, the ancient Hy- 
pate, a few miles up the valley of the Sperchius, were in much 
better repute. If our time had permitted, we should have 
been glad to make a trip thither. 

We now entered Thessaly Phthiotis, whose boundary is 
somewhere about Thermopylte. Its principal town, Lamia, 
or Zeitun, as it was called till recently by the modern Greeks, 
stood on the opposite side of the plain, pleasantly situated at 
the foot of the mountains. Its acropolis occupied a hill to 
the southeast of it. Lamia is said to be a neat and well-built 
town ; but we did not turn from our route to visit it. The 
vicinity has been the scene of a number of important engage- 
ments ; and Lamia itself underwent a long siege shortly after 
the death of Alexander the Great. We rode on to the right, 
keeping as near to the head of the Gulf as was possible, in 
view of the marshy nature of the ground, the whole of which 
in winter becomes a perfect bog. In the vicinity of the vil- 
lage of Birbos, where we stopped for a while at noon, we 
found an encampment of soldiers, who were occupied in tar- 
get-shooting. In this neighborhood, however, they see some 
real service from time to time ; for we were now entering the 
land of robbers par excellence. True, all Rumeli, or Northern 
Greece, is more or less infested by them ; but it is here that 
they may be said to abound. The Turkish frontier is so near, 
that they can with ease betake themselves thither when pur- 
sued ; and it is even asserted that they receive encouragement 
and protection from the local Turkish authorities. 

On the north side of the Gulf we fell in with the new road 
from Lamia to its port, Stylida, the village where we intend- 
ed passing the night. This was the first carriage-road we 
had seen for weeks ; for, throughout all the rural districts of 
Greece, aU transportation must be effected by the means of 
beasts of burden. We reached Stylida at an early hour, and 
obtained good rooms. We had thought of attempting the as- 



258 THERMOPYL^ AND EUBOEA. 

cent of Mount Othrys on the morrow ; but the impossibility 
of finding mules, the troubled state of the country, and the 
reluctance of those who should have served as guides to incur 
the risk of falling into the banditti's hands, led us to forego 
the excursion, and spend the next day in a visit to the ruins 
of Larissa Cremaste. 

Before leaving Stylida in the morning, we took care to se- 
cure a couple of caiques, which were, during the course of the 
day, to drop down the Gulf as far as the hamlet of Achladi. 
There we were to meet them, and be carried over to the op- 
posite coast of Euboea. We again fell into a common foot- 
path, now leading through thickets of tangled bushes, and 
now through fields of wheat and barley. The soil appeared 
exceedingly rich, but less cultivated than almost any other 
portion of Greece — a circumstance, doubtless, due to the ex- 
treme insecurity of the entire region, and the impotence of 
the government to ward off from the unfortunate inhabitants 
the miseries of rapine and devastation. At a small village 
named Echinus we stopped to examine the remains of old 
Greek walls of regular masonry, and lunched at the village 
of Rachi. 

We turned in at the house of the Papas, where a mat was 
spread for us ; and, while we ate, he regaled us with a de- 
tailed account of an extensive robbery committed here a week 
before. Early in the morning, one of the band, in disguise, 
had found his way into the village as a spy, and made sure 
that almost the whole male population was dispersed in the 
distant fields, too far away to learn of the attack until it was 
too late. On liis return, the miscreants, who, to the number 
of forty-five, had been prowling in the outskirts, being satis- 
fied that the way was clear, entered Rachi at about nine 
o'clock A.M. The first direction of Semos, the captain of the 
band, was to seize all the fire-arms in the village, and to place 
the inmates of the fifty houses — women and children almost 
exclusively — in close confinement, while the robbers searched 
for all that was valuable and portable. Money, however, was 
what most moved their cupidity. The numerous silver coins 
forming the most showy part of the head-dress, and ornament- 
ing the person of the women, were of course the first to be 



AN INKOAD OF ROBBEKS. 259 

laid hold of. But the ruffians were not so easily satisfied; 
and, even after their search, they suspected that much property 
remained hidden. As in Turkey, the Greeks and other r ayahs 
are accustomed to conceal their wealth from the rapacity of 
the Mussulman, under the garb of poverty, so has the unset- 
tled condition of this border country compelled almost every 
peasant to use similar precautions. Every dollar that can be 
spared is added to the hoard concealed in some hole in the 
ground. The process resorted to by the robbers for discover- 
ing the whereabouts of these hidden repositories was a cruel, 
but, as we should judge, a pretty effectual one. A kettle full 
of oil was set on the fire. If the unfortunate woman, who pro- 
tested that she was ignorant where her husband had hid his 
treasure, relented in view of the coming torture, she was not 
molested. But if she persisted in her obstinacy, or really did 
not know where it was, the scalding fluid was poured upon 
her neck, breast, and body. Five or six were subjected to 
this inhuman treatment ; others Avere merely beaten ; and one, 
whom we saw, boasted that, though the ruffians stabbed her in 
several places, she had not betrayed her husband's trust. 

Notwithstanding all this suffering, strange to say, but one 
person was murdered, and that was a man against whom one 
of the robbers, himself a native of the place, entertained a per- 
sonal grudge. A young man, who happened to be in the vil- 
lage, succeeded in creeping off to one of the neighboring hills, 
where he discharged his gun as a signal. The country people 
soon came to the rescue. The band were thus, after a stay of 
two hours, compelled to abandon the village, though they had 
not ransacked one half of the houses. The mustered peasants, 
with a few soldiers, pursued the robbers; but though, after 
journeying five hours beyond the Turkish line, they came up 
with them, they recovered only some of the heavier goods that 
were dropped in the flight. 

Our host, the priest, complained with bitterness of his own 
misfortunes. He said that until lately he had been ephemerius, 
or curate, of Xerochori, in Euboea ; but he had been tempted 
to leave it, by the promise of a larger salary and a more 
healthy situation. Fortunately for himself, he was absent at 
the lime of the inroad ; but his wife, the papadia, was beaten 



2t)U THERMOPYL^ AND EUBGEA. 

and ill-used, like the rest of the women. The priest estimated 
his loss at three hundred and seventy-seven drachms, and that 
of the entire village, according to the schedule which the chief 
magistrate of the district had drawn up the day before our ar- 
rival, could not be less than twenty thousand drachms (about 
$3350). When we rose to take leave, the papas begged us to 
speak to his old parishioners about him, and let them know 
of his misfortune. We fulfilled the commission, a couple of 
days after, at Xerochori. 

Achladi, the little hamlet where we had arranged to spend 
the night, was but twenty minutes' ride farther. Our pack- 
horses preceded us, while we dismissed our escort of two gens- 
d'armes, whom Nicholas had insisted on our taking in the 
morning from Stylida, with a small remuneration that per- 
fectly satisfied them for their long walk. The last we saw of 
them, they were probably on the way for the nearest grog- 
shop, to take a glass of raki before retracing their steps. As 
for ourselves, we felt rather more secure without than with 
them, as two soldiers are little protection against a dozen 
banditti, even setting aside the chance of their passing over to 
the enemy, and coming in for a share of the spoils. Kelieved 
from solicitude on this score, we now turned our horses' heads 
inland, and rode more rapidly toward Gardiki. The country 
was wild and picturesque, and we found the hill above Gar- 
diki a lovely spot. Here were the ruins of Larissa Cremaste, 
originally an old Pelasgic town, as its first name indicates : 
the term Cremaste, or " hanging," is in allusion to its steep 
and lofty site. The summit must be five or six hundred feet 
above the village, and a thousand above the sea. We made 
the ascent by following the westernmost of the walls. These 
are of great interest in a military point of view. Built of 
large blocks of stone, laid in what approximates to regular 
courses, they seem to date from the very earliest historic period. 
The gates are peculiarly worthy of notice. They are set 
obliquely to the wall, and in such a manner as to follow that 
invariable rule in Greek military works, that the enemy should 
be compelled to expose his right side, which was unprotected 
by the shield, to the arrows and other missiles of those who 
occupied the walls. Having with me no plan of the fortifica- 



DETENTION BY A HEALTH OFFICER. 261 

tions, I attempted to commit to paper some sketch of their 
outline. This I soon gave np in despair ; for to have traced 
all the complications of walls, running in so many different di- 
rections, would have been the work of a day. Had it been 
only for the superb view obtained from this remarkable spot, 
we would have been amply repaid for our ride through the 
sun, on a hot summer's day. 

At Achladi we found half a dozen houses ; the place is not 
even laid down on the maps. Our arrival was signalized by 
an outburst of wrath on the part of Nicholas, who looked in 
vain up and down the coast for any sign of the caiques, which 
were to have been here this morning. The poor agoyates came 
in for a part of the obloquy that was poured indiscriminately 
on every individual and object within reach. Even Janni, 
our inoffensive Arab, was surprised with a volley of oaths ; to 
which, however, accustomed in a measure, he paid no more 
attention than turning to learn the cause of the sudden squall. 
Having vented all the expletives he could muster, our Greek 
rested satisfied, and for the next twenty-four hours exerted 
himself to prove that he was as proficient in the art of making 
himself agreeable as in savage passion and abuse. 

Fortunately for his temper and ours, too, when we stepped 
to the window of our room early the next morning, we be- 
held the caiques leisurely coming up to the village. While 
the men were busy shipping the horses, and getting out the 
necessary papers, we had ample time for a bath and for scour- 
ing the neighborhood in search of antiquities. Our guide sent 
us on a fruitless excursion to the top of a hill, where we found 
nothing to compensate for a hot walk. On our return the 
men were not ready to start. Every petty harbor has a health- 
officer, or hygeionomos ; and no craft is allowed to sail without 
clearance papers from him. The health-inspector of Achladi 
happened to be on a visit to Athens, and had left in his stead 
a substitute, who could neither read nor write ; and he was off 
somewhere in the fields ploughing. His secretary was at Gar- 
diki, and had to be sent for. When at length he arrived, he 
demanded as his fee a drachm for each person and beast, in- 
stead of one for each boat, to which he was entitled. Here 
was an opportunity for another storm on the part of Nicholas ; 



262 THERMOPYL^ AND EUBOiA. 

but on our announcing that we would certainly lodge a com- 
plaint at Athens, the extortionate official became more tract- 
able, and allowed us to weigh anchor. 

The wind was contrary. From noon to night we were 
tacking about from one side of the narrow strait to the 'other. 
At one time we hove to near a favorable spot for Janni to 
prepare our dinner ; and we took advantage of the half hour 
to row ashore, and using the solitary drum of a column for a 
desk, we committed to paper some incidents of travel. The 
shore was wild, wooded, and picturesque. Not a house was 
to be seen, nor a trace of man's works, but in a ruined chapel 
near the strand. We had expected to arrive at Oreos before 
dark, in time to reach Xerbchori, so as to have a quiet Sab- 
bath at that place. But the head winds delayed us, and it 
was early on the morrow when we landed at the former hamlet, 
after a miserable night spent on the deck of one of our little 
caiques, without room even to stretch ourselves out to sleep. 
A sail of fifteen or twenty miles through the Straits of Arte- 
misium had taken almost as many hours. The scene of the 
great naval contest between the Greek and Persian fleets, 
which took place at the very time that Leonidas was defend- 
ing the Pass of Thermopylae on the main land, we did not 
cross. It lies farther down, and nearer the sea. We saw it 
afterward very distinctly, on our way from Xerochori to 
Chalcis, when riding over the highlands. 

Oreos is now a mere landing-place, though in ancient times 
one of the most important towns of Euboea. Riding up to 
Xerochori, we passed an eminence lying back of it, surround- 
ed by a wall of ancient materials. In early times the name 
of the town was Histiaea ; but from the days of Demosthenes, 
who frequently mentions it, it has borne that of Oreos. About 
midway to Xerochori, we stopped a while, at the hamlet of 
St. John's, to allow J. time to visit the estate of a cousin of 
his, Mr. Mimon, who was absent. It is extensive, taking in 
a number of villages. 

At Xerochori — which occupies any thing but a dry situa- 
tion, as its name would import — we found poor accommoda- 
tions for the Sabbath. As usual, our Sunday was the noisiest 
day of the week. After attending church early in the morning, 



EUBCEAN ESTATES. 263 

the followers of the Greek persuasion give themselves up to 
diversions or traffic. It was market-day, and the peasantry 
of the district were assembled in great numbers. There was 
a public notary, whose little office, to our great annoyance, 
adjoined our rooms. He was busy all day reading and writ- 
ing law documents, and his room was crowded until late in 
the evening. 

Early on Monday morning we resumed our journey toward 
Chalcis. At first the ground was slightly undulating, but 
soon we commenced ascending, and found ourselves among 
those beautiful hills for which Euboea is noted. Tt was pre- 
eminently a " rolling" country, with an alternation of round- 
topped eminences and fertile vales, both overgrown with pine- 
trees of a large size for this quarter of the globe. The scenery 
much resembles that of many regions in the United States. 
But as yet there is comparatively little cultivation to be seen. 
As we attained the highest portion of this end of the island, 
we began to enjoy a very extensive prospect, especially toward 
the north. There lay the Straits of Artemisium. Beyond 
the Gulf of Volo, or Pegasus, opened the landscape over the 
more distant plains of Thessaly. On their right. Mount Pe- 
lion raised its lofty peak ; and far off in the distance could 
be plainly distinguished the snowy form of Mount Olympus 
itself, full eighty miles from us in a direct line. Toward the 
east the islands of Scopelos and Sciathos appeared in the 
-^gean. 

At the close of a warm but pleasant day's journey, after 
spending full eleven hours in the saddle, we reached Achmet 
Aga, a pretty village situated in a hollow, about midway 
down the island to Chalcis. We had scarcely settled our- 
selves fairly at the khan, before a servant came to invite us to 
pass the night at the house of his master, Mr. Noel, who, in 
conjunction with Mr. Miiller, a Swiss gentleman, possesses a 
large tract of country in the immediate vicinity. While we 
declined his invitation, from unwillingness to trouble him 
with the presence of so large a party, H. and I (notwithstand- 
ing that the state of our wardrobe, after an exposure to all 
sorts of weather, was scarcely respectable) went over for an 
hour or two. We found Mr. Noel, a well-informed and socia- 



264 THEKMOPTLJE AlfD EUBCEA. 

ble Englishman, living in comparative solitude, and devoting 
himself to the management of his large farms. Of this inde- 
pendent life he appeared passionately fond, though far from 
the society of friends and from his native country.* With our 
circle at Athens he was, of course, well acquainted, especially 
with Dr. King and Mr. Hill, whose kindness to him when sick 
he gratefully acknowledged. Mr. Noel gave us much useful 
information respecting the island of Euboea, whose long and 
slender outline, over against the coasts of Attica, Bceotia, and 
Phocis, every school-boy remembers. Though its dimensions 
are almost precisely those of Long Island, the population, ac- 
cording to Mr. N., is but seventy-five thousand. So sparse a 
population is insufficient to cultivate the island to any consid- 
erable extent with the agricultural implements now in use. 
The fields are said not to yield much more than a third as 
much grain as those of equal extent in England; and this, 
although Euboea was once the granary of Athens ! All the 
land is divided into two categories — one half being sown with 
wheat, and the other lying fallow, according to the popular 
notion — that is, cultivated with Indian corn or maize ! 

* I am not aware that Euboea has ever been considered peculiarly 
unsafe as a residence for strangers. On the other hand, its natural 
advantages of position and fertility of soil, as Avell as the salubrity of its 
climate, have been lauded in England, as offering greater inducements 
to colonists than the remote dependencies of Great Britain. Many for- 
eigners, too, have resided there with perfect impunity for twenty years. 
The sense of security thus engendered has lately received a fearful 
shock in the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Leeves at their residence 
near Castaniotissa, not many miles south of Xerochori. The first ac- 
counts of this lamentable occurrence attributed it to the numerous ban- 
ditti expelled from Thessaly by the Turkish troops in the spring of 
1 854. But I have since heard that it was effected by a band of peas- 
ants, headed by the son of the village priest, who had been befriended and 
educated in part by the benevolence of the deceased. Not content with 
murdering his benefactors for the sake of the property they had too im- 
prudently brought with them, this fiend in human shape made use of the 
most cruel tortures to wring from them a disclosure of the place where 
they had secreted their valuables. When the neighbors entered the 
house after the sad catastrophe, they found the rooms spotted with the 
blood of the victims, and handfuls of their hair scattered over the floor. 
Only the infant son of Mr. Leeves escaped the malignity of the mur- 
derers. 



TRAVELING IN EUBa:A. 265 

The room in which we slept at the khan seemed to be used 
as a general repository. In one corner was a large heap of 
husked cotton, grown last year in the neighborhood. We had 
possession of the rest of the unfinished apartment. Our horses 
were accommodated in the stable directly below, while Nicho- 
las and the agoyates lay down and wrapped themselves up in 
their huge capotas wherever they found space enough, whether 
in the entry or on the porch. 

Leaving Achmet-Aga the following day, we rode along the 
little valley through fields of tall barley, until we soon began 
to ascend a rather difficult defile, which, Uke many others in 
Greece, goes by the Turkish name of '^ DervenV In many 
places it was nothing but a continuous "scala," or staircase, 
to which our horses, though poor in other respects, were so 
well accustomed, that they mounted them with little apparent 
difficulty, and rarely, if ever, stumbled. In a few hours we 
gained the summit of the ridge, and then the full prospect 
burst upon our eyes, presenting us with one ef those extens- 
ive views of the country which are scarcely less attractive 
than the sites of ruined cities, or the scenes of famous battles. 
The central part of the island of Euboea lay before us. On 
the right, beyond the channel, was the Boeotian coast, with 
the summits of Cithaeron, Helicon, Parnes, and Pentelicus, in 
the distance. At one place, along the border of the water, 
we distinguished the outlet of the katavothra, through which 
the Lake Copais discharges into the sea. We could discern 
Chalcis, too, before us, and the narrow Euripus on the other 
side. But the most striking object was the snow-capped head 
of Mount Delphi, whose ridge forms the backbone of Euboea, 
rising full five thousand five hundred feet above the sea, and 
serving as a beacon to the country far and wide. 

During the entire afternoon, we were crossing a sterile 
plain in the direction of Chalcis. Here once more we joined 
a road traveled by carts. As the road ran for a distance 
along the shore, we noticed the sand wet for a foot or more 
above the water, showing that it had fallen from the high- 
water mark. This is the only part of the Mediterranean 
where the phenomenon of the tides is perceptible, and it is 
due to the narrowness of the channel between Euboea and the 

M 



266 THERMOPYLAE AND EUBCEA. 

main land. We suffered much from the heat on the low, 
sandy plain, and were really glad to reach the gates of Chal- 
cis. This town is situated on a low, sandy promontory. Its 
moat and wall have fallen into neglect, and only an embank- 
ment and a rude ditch now occupy their place. There is^ 
however, an interior fortress, or castro ; and much of the city 
used to be, and still is, inside of it. At a distance, Chalcis 
presents a picturesque appearance, by reason of two large 
domes of old Turkish mosques that have been suffered to re- 
main. The modern aqueduct winds across the plain, and 
may readily be mistaken for the remains of some ancient 
work. As we rode through the streets, we could not but no- 
tice how much better Chalcis is built than the towns we had 
recently seen. The streets, bordered with shops and stands, 
forming the agora or bazar, presented a scene of considerable 
activity, and of much wrangling. Our ears were saluted by 
a variety of discordant cries from the country merchants ; 
and we were obliged to jostle through the crowd, crying 
"varda" ("take care") to the pedestrians. Now and then a 
donkey, laden with a huge basket on either side, came brush- 
ing past us, compelling us to draw up our legs to prevent 
their being crushed between the beasts. Or, on turning a 
corner, we came suddenly upon a train of the same patient 
quadrupeds, down the narrow street in single file, each hid- 
den beneath a towering mass of dry brush, like so many per- 
ambulating hay-stacks. Either a hasty retreat was necessary, 
or we found a convenient refuge in some adjoining portal un- 
til the way was clear. The cause of all this activity was, that 
Chalcis is the only important place on the island, the mart 
for its products, and the capital of one of the nomes, or dis- 
tricts, of Greece. 

A curious discovery was made, a few years since, at Chalcis. 
A piece of the wall surrounding the citadel accidentally fell ; 
and behind it there was perceived to be an opening. This 
being enlarged, proved to be a passage leading to a room, 
where were found a pile of coarse bags containing an enormous 
quantity of ancient armor. The articles were carefully trans- 
ported to Athens by order of the king, and inspected by the 
historian Buchon. He pronounced them to belong to the first 



DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT ARMOR. 267 

few years of the fourteenth century. He supposes that after 
the bloody battle fought at Scripu — the ancient Orchomenus 
in Boeotia — a.d. 1311, the defensive armor of those who had 
been slain was gathered together, and laid in this receptacle, 
from motives of reverence and curiosity. There it lay for five 
hundred and thirty years, until the casual falling of the wall 
brought it to light. This hypothesis, so interesting from its 
historical allusions, is fully confirmed by the variety noticeable 
in the style of the helmets, about one hundred in number. 
Some are of the kind worn by the Catalans ; others resemble 
those of the Turcopole troops ; while the majority seem to 
have belonged to the unfortunate Frank knights who fell in 
the marshy plain, and were overpowered by their opponents. 
All are rusty and battered, having evidently seen service ; so 
that it does not appear that they were placed in this hidden 
chamber, as in an arsenal, for future use.* 

* Buchon, La Grece Continentale et la Moree, p. 134. 




THE ACROPOLIS OF CENOE. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

Clean beds, a tight roof, and windows provided with panes 
of glass — these were comforts not to be despised by a company 
of travelers who had been suffering from a continuous exposure 
to vermin, rain, and wind, in the rude huts of the peasants. 
With such inducements to tarry, we were reluctant to leave 
Chalcis when Nicholas came to inform us it was time to rise 
and renew our journey. We carried with us a pleasant re- 
membrance of the place to Athens itself. At length, when 
the horses were once more laden, and all was ready, we sallied 
forth. To reach the bridge from Euboea to Roumeli, it was 
necessary to traverse most of the town. On entering the in- 
closure of the castro, we noticed, in more than one place, the 
well-known winged lion of St. Mark, the emblem of the do- 
minion of republican Venice. Within the fortifications there 
are many scattered fragments of sarcophagi, and other ancient 
works of art. We wished to see a large cannon that was said 
to exist here, similar to the famous one of the Bosphorus ; but 
found, on inquiry, that it had been either broken up or melted 
into coin. We saw, however, some of its enormous balls, two 



ANCIENT GREEK ROAD. 269 

feet or more in diameter, adorning the walls of the castle. 
There is nothing of particular interest in the city of Chalcis, 
which has a population of eight or ten thousand souls. The 
most striking fact is its position at the narrowest part of the 
lono- "sound," where communication between the main land 
and Eubcea is easiest and most natural. 

On reaching the bridge from Chalcis to the main land, our 
first impression was of astonishment at the smallness of the 
passage. Toward the upper end of the island, it is at least 
seven or eight miles wide in some places; but here it con- 
tracts to a strait apparently not more than a hundred or a 
hundred and fifty feet in breadth. Here stands the celebrated 
hridge of the Euripus, a modern work, occupying the site of an 
ancient structure. It is built of stone, and is divided into 
two parts, by a fort standing in the midst of the passage. 
Upon paying toll, we were allowed to cross, and were once 
more in Boeotia. On this side of the strait there is a high 
hill, surmounted by a fortress of Turkish construction, which 
quite commands the city of Chalcis. 

We took the ancient road, leading from Chalcis to Tanagra 
and Thebes, while following the shore of the bay of the Euri- 
pus, south of the bridge. Meanwhile our baggage-horses, di- 
verging to the right, took the direct road southwestward to 
Thebes. The old Greek thoroughfares differed widely from 
the splendid Roman roads — those vast arteries connecting the 
whole body of the empire. Their construction was much 
more simple, and the outlay comparatively small. The story 
of CEdipus shows that frequently in the mountain passes — as 
at that of Schiste — the road was merely wide enough for a 
single chariot or wagon ; and that when two chariots met, one 
of them was obliged to turn out in order to allow the other 
to pass. When the road ran over a ledge of rocks, as in the 
present instance, there appears to have been nothing but a 
mere track. The ruts of the wheels are still to be traced for 
a long distance, cut deep into the rocks. It is much more 
reasonable to suppose that they were purposely chiseled out, 
than that they were worn by the continual passage of vehicles 
over the hard limestone, according to the common notion. 
Between the two ruts, the rock is about as rough as it was by 



270 THEBES AND EIJEUSIS. 

nature, so that it is difficult for horses to travel over it at any 
great speed. 

The site of the town of Aulis is little more than half an 
hour's ride from Chalcis. It was here that the Greek fleet 
was gathered before the war of Troy, and was detained for 
long months by calms and adverse winds. To appease the 
wrath of the gods, whose displeasure the unpropitious weather 
was supposed to indicate, Agamemnon must slay his daughter ; 
and hence arises the plot of the " Iphigenia in Aulis" of Euripi- 
des, the most pathetic, perhaps, of the tragedies of that great 
poet. Aulis is supposed to have stood on a rocky promontory 
projecting into the Eurrpus, on the left of the road ; but the 
only trace of a city is that infallible one — the abundance of 
fragments of vases and pottery. On either side of the prom- 
ontory there is a harbor; that on the north being shallow, 
and, as Strabo remarks, far too small to contain all Agamem- 
non's ships. The other is the true harbor, and still bears the 
name of "Bathys," or the "Deep." Upon the shore of this 
quiet sheet, took place — unless we are to look upon the whole 
Homeric story as a groundless fabrication — the bloody sacri- 
fice of Iphigenia, a fitting representation of the surrender of 
every thing most dear in life to the demon Ambition. 

"Whatever may be the truth of these classic associations, the 
neighborhood of Aulis is now condemned to a death-like 
silence. Not a house is to be seen ; and as we left the rocky 
coast, and turned into the level plain that extends to the 
Asopus, a similar desolation seemed to brood over that. 
There was no path to follow. We struck boldly across the 
uncultivated waste toward the point where we knew Tanagra 
to be situated. The ground was strewn with flowers, among 
which the Larkspur {Delphinium) of our gardens, growing in 
wild luxuriance, was the most striking object. Broom and 
other showy shrubs gave variety to the scene. Our ride of 
three or four hours over this barren country was warm and 
uninteresting, and we met not a single human being until 
we reached the ruins of Tanagra. 

These consist chiefly of walls surrounding a rising, and by 
no means level site, a couple of miles in circumference. At 
one place, near the spot where we entered Tanagra, there is 



SITE OF TANAGRA. 271 

an old gate. We walked over a part of the area formerly oc- 
cupied by the city, and discovered the ancient theatre and the 
foundation of a temple. The position is not a very strong 
one, but it commands a pleasant view southward over a wide 
valley to Mount Parnes and Mount Cith^eron, the northern 
boundaries of Attica. The Asopus runs near its walls, and 
fertilizes its vicinity, the whole of which, r.t the time of our 
visit, was covered with waving fields of wheat. We were 
somewhat disappointed as to the extent of the remains of 
Tanagra; for they are by no means commensurate with the 
importance of a city whose circuit was so extensive, and 
which claimed to have given birth to the great poet Corinna. 
In its vicinity a bloody battle was fought in the time of Per- 
icles, between the Athenians and Spartans, 

Our horses were tired, and we ourselves were hungry. 
Finding, however, no shady spot to halt at, we rode on to a 
small village a mile or two distant, where Vv'e could rest and 
obtain good water to drink. It was at an Albanian house 
that we stopped for half an hour. Between the Greeks and 
Albanians, as a general thing, there is little love lost ; for 
the Greek can never forget the hostile purposes with which 
the other race was encouraged by the Porte to settle within 
the limits of Greece. It is said that all the Albanians at 
present in the kingdom are Christians by profession; still, 
there seems to lurk a root of bitterness between them and the 
Greeks, and it is fostered by their difference of language and 
manners. 

On the west of Tanagra the prospect of the interior of 
Boeotia is cut off by a mountainous ridge running parallel to 
the Asopus, and behind this lies Thebes, We followed the 
northern side during the whole afternoon, without seeing a 
house or a rill of water. We advanced vd a rapid rate, not 
being detained by our customary train of pack-horses. We 
entered the valley of Thebes, and in a few minutes more 
reached the modern town. 

No one can visit Thebes without a feeling of disappoint- 
ment. However much he may have been forewarned to ex- 
pect few or no traces of ancient palaces and temples, when 
the tourist comes to tread the streets, and is told that he 



272 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

must now fancy himself in the city of Epaminondas and Pe- 
lopidas, he instinctively casts his eye about for some vestiges 
of their times. But there is nothing to gratify curiosity. If 
we except a few scattered sarcophagi, and some fragments 
of ancient walls, nothing remains but the ground on which 
Thebes stood. The modern town spreads itself out in the 
Cadmeum, the old citadel, and is unable to fill the inclosure. 
Sallying out from our khan, we found the streets crowded 
with promenaders. Their costume might have been sufficient 
to indicate that we were approaching Athens and civilization. 
In the rural districts all the ladies wear the native costume ; 
here probably one half have adopted the European, and ape 
the newest French fashions. Among the men, however, there 
is a pertinacious adherence to the native dress, which is cer- 
tainly much the more picturesque of the two. 

After a stroll through the main street, we reached a high 
spot toward the southern end of the hill, where we sat down 
and enjoyed, in the midst of a crowd of boys at their sports, 
a prospect of the Theban plain, on the west separated by a 
low ridge from Lake Copais, and from the part of Bceotia in 
which we had been a couple of weeks previous. Southward, 
the country becomes undulating ; but beyond it the peaks of 
Cith^eron, of Helicon, and, farther to the right, of Parnassus 
itself, were glowing in the last rays of a gorgeous sunset. 

The sun had scarcely risen when we emerged the next day 
from the khan at Thebes, after strictly enjoining upon our 
agoyates, who were to proceed by the direct road toward Eleu- 
sis, not to tarry by the way. As for ourselves, abandoning 
the care of overseeing the lazy drivers — which had been one 
of our chief occupations on previous days — we rode for over 
two hours in a westerly direction to Thespise. It is singu- 
lar that the town occupied the very midst of a valley, with- 
out any hill to serve as citadel. The numerous fountains 
were, doubtless, the chief attraction that led the inhabitants 
to choose a site so different from most of those we have seen. 
Nicholas could show us little in the way of ruins ; and, after 
jumping over ditches, wading brooks, and exciting the aston- 
ishment of a bevy of girls, who, with skirts gathered knee- 
high, Avere rubbing and pounding the clothes at one of the 



SITE OF THESPI^. 273 

fountains, we satisfied ourselves that Thespiae has left us lit- 
tle more than a name. The shape of the city, however, is 
quite distinctly marked ; and the lines of stones running in 
various directions would seem to be traces of the edifices of 
the valiant town, whose greatest distinction was that, while 
all the rest of Boeotia basely submitted to Xerxes, it stood by 
the gallant Plataeans in refusing his messengers the custom- 
ary homage of earth and water. 

Ascending a hill north of the ancient town, we passed 
through the village of Eremo Castro, or "the deserted for- 
tress." In its little church we found the finest and best pre- 
served bas-reliefs that we had seen since leaving Athens. As 
we rode westward to the celebrated fountain of Aganippe, the 
country became undulating, and covered, even to the tops of 
the round hills, with flourishing vineyards. The fountain lies 
at the head of a long and narrow ravine, at the base of Mount 
Helicon. In size it is nothing more than a small spring of 
cool and limpid water, close by a ruined chapel of St. Nich- 
olas. Its identity has been proved solely by an inscription 
found imbedded in the walls of the chapel. The former 
abode of the nymphs, to whom both the mountain and the 
spring were dedicated, is said to have been in a shady grove, 
where, amidst the gurgling of the stream, the warbling of the 
birds, and the dark thickness of the laurel and myrtle foliage, 
their votaries might fancy that the nymphs could assume a 
bodily form. Only a few old olive-trees have escaped the 
ravages of ruthless warriors and the improvidence of the 
Greek peasantry. 

Turning once more, we took a zigzag course, and soon came 
to the vicinity of Leuctra, where, after passing an excavated 
monument and some remains of a small temple, we began to 
look about for some place for our mid-day halt. For this, a 
spot was generally selected where shade and fresh water could 
be obtained. Here a great willow, growing by the side of a 
rivulet, offered its shelter, and we seated ourselves upon the 
green grass to enjoy the lunch which Nicholas had provided, 
without minding the clamor of some women of the neighboring 
village of Parapungi, who were assembled near by. With these 
poor creatures life seems to be one continual " wash-day." 

M2 



274 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

Nicholas tried to convince us that this was the plain of 
Leuctra, the scene of that battle so fatal to the influence of 
Sparta in the affairs of Greece. We asked him in vain for 
the tumulus said to have been erected over the bones of the 
fallen. He could show nothing of the kind, and fell back on 
the argument that this was the site he had always pointed out 
to travelers. If so, none of those who had heretofore em- 
ployed him ever saw the field of Leuctra at all : those who 
come after us may be more fortunate. J. was disposed to 
give the battle-ground the go-by. H. and I were determined 
not to advance until we had ascertained the veritable locality. 
Suspecting that it lay beyond the northern ridge of the val- 
ley, we took our guide along nolem volens. Nor were we dis- 
appointed. In twenty minutes we had before us the tumulus, 
occupying the summit of the ridge overlooking the supposed 
scene of the battle. 

The Lacedaemonians with their allies, in the spring of B.C. 
371, occupied the part of the field on which we stood, toward 
the south and Plataea; the Thebans were encamped on the 
northern side, toward Thespise. The former army amounted 
to at least eleven thousand men ; the latter could number lit- 
tle more than six or eight thousand. On the one side were 
numbers, discipline, and the confidence inspired by an unin- 
terrupted series , of victories ; the others were flushed with 
hopes of success, and commanded by one who was the most 
perfect master of tactics the world had ever known. The re- 
sult was one that could scarcely have been anticipated. For 
the first time, a Spartan army was routed in a regular pitched 
battle, and Epaminondas could claim by one blow to have de- 
stroyed the Lacedaemonian ascendency. The tumulus was 
reared by the vanquished over the bodies of a thousand of the 
allies, who had died on that memorable day. There are re- 
mains of ancient terraces, of monuments, and, as it seemed to 
us, of old walls, in the immediate vicinity. 

There was one more site we had contemplated visiting be- 
fore leaving the plains of Boeotia — Platasa, lying at the foot 
of Mount Cithaeron, and somewhat out of our direct route. 
In a straight line it is not more than seven miles from Thebes 
or Thespiae ; but by our circuitous route, we had ridden quite 



BATPLE-GROUND OF PLAIVIIA. 276 

three times that distance. It looks out upon the broad expanse 
of plain toward the north, abundantly diversified with hill and 
dale, and watered by streams, of which the nearest flows west- 
ward to the Corinthian Gulf, while the more distant Asopus 
runs in the opposite direction, to empty itself in the channel 
of Euboea. We approached the inclosure of the walls from 
the west, where a copious fountain, still resorted to by the vil- 
lagers of Kokla, springs forth close by the ancient cemetery. 
Here a number of sarcophagi, hollowed out from pieces of solid 
rock, stand tottering on the verge of the hill, or have fallen 
below. The city, whose circuit of wall remains almost en- 
tire, occupied a slight eminence of an oblong shape, stretching 
north and south. As its length is nearly a mile, we limited 
ourselves to inspecting the northern portion. Here the highest 
part is separated by a wall from the remainder, and forms a 
citadel ; and another appears to have existed at the southern 
end of the inclosure. With the exception of the ruined foun- 
dation of a supposed Temple of Juno, there are absolutely no 
traces of any buildings. 

With Leake's good map of Plataea and its environs, we at- 
tempted to gain a clear conception of the famous battle which 
took place here, the year after the battle of Salamis, in 479 
B.C., when the Greeks completely discomfited the Persian army 
of Mardonius. The field of action, stretching from the camp 
of the Persians, and from the position of the Greeks before the 
battle, to the city, was five miles in extent; and, since the 
ground is undulating, with half a dozen ridges and intervening 
ravines, it is naturally somewhat difficult to recognize each 
detail. The engagement took place on the eastern side of the 
city. The Greeks originally were posted at the foot of Cithse- 
ron, some four or five miles distant, opposite the Persians, 
whose camp was on the other side of the Asopus. Fearing 
lest they might be circumvented, they retreated toward the 
city, the Lacedaemonians being on the right, the Athenians on 
the left wing, with the auxiliary troops in the centre. Before 
the battle commenced, they retired still farther, and the aux- 
iliaries actually got quite behind Platsea. So the conflict came 
on. The Persians attacked the gallant Spartans ; while the 
traitorous Thebans, and the inhabitants of the different Greek 



276 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. ' 

cities who fought under barbarian colors, fell upon the Athe- 
nian line. It was the Persians who first turned their backs 
and fled, and then the Thebans were repulsed and retreated 
to their own city. This was the last time that the Greeks 
were called upon to defend their country from that great pow- 
er, whose numberless hosts seemed ready to destroy them from 
the face of the earth. 

Platsea possesses much more interesting associations than 
Leuctra. It witnessed a noble contest for liberty and inde- 
pendence of foreign aggression ; whereas the battle at Leuctra 
was only a strife of rival states for ascendency. The news of 
the battle of Plataea sent a thrill of joy through every true 
Greek heart ; that of Leuctra shrouded the greater part of the 
Hellenic race in weeds of mourning. The name of Plataea 
has come down to us associated only with the glorious scenes 
of Grecian history ; as the only state whose soldiers fought by 
the side of Miltiades and his followers at Marathon ; as the 
steadfast opponent of Theban aggression and ambition ; as the 
equally constant friend and ally of Athens ; and last, but not 
least, as an active participant in the noble contest beneath its 
very walls. 

We had tarried too long at Plataea, and now began the as- 
cent of Mount Cithaeron, fearing we should not reach our quar- 
ters for the night before dark. Gradually rising above the 
plain, we obtained one of those extensive panoramic views 
which are so useful in impressing the geographical positions 
of towns, rivers, and mountain ranges, upon the memory. At 
the top of the pass, whose ascent is easy, we fell in with .the 
great road from Thebes to Athens. It is rather narrow, and, 
though Macadamized, is quite rough ; but it pleased us as an 
evidence of our approach to the capital. It was a prospect, 
however, of mingled pleasure and regret : for it announced the 
speedy termination of our delightful tour, and a separation of 
those who had been close companions during a period, whose 
impressions the hand of time and the influence of other scenes 
will never eiface. The road was sadly out of repair ; bridges 
had been left to crumble, and a carriage could no longer pro- 
ceed the whole distance from the capital. Still we rode gayly 
along, until the gray walls of an old Attic fortress, frowning 



. A TOWER AT CENOE. 27 / 

upon US from a height commanding the pass, gave us warning 
of our approach to Casa, whither our agoyates had preceded us. 
Committing our horses to the custody of our guide, we soon 
found ourselves at the entrance of the citadel, long and gen- 
erally known as Eleutherae, but conclusively shown by Leake 
to be that of CEnoe. The neighboring mountaineers know 
it now by the name of Gyphtocastro, or "the Gypsies' for- 
tress," probably connecting it with some legend or story, 
which I did not learn. Whatever its name may have been, 
we found it the most perfect specimen of fortification we had 
seen during the course of our travels in Greece. Nothing 
seemed lacking to afford an accurate picture of a citadel, such 
as might withstand for months the most vehement assaults. 
On the northwestern side extends a long line of wall, looking 
toward Boeotia, with twelve or fourteen courses of stone rising 
one above the other. At regular intervals large square tow- 
ers project from the walls, and furnish sufficient protection to 




INTEEIOK OF A TOVv'ER AT OiNOE. 



two or three postern gates built close by. It was through one 
of these minor entrances that we gained admission to the in- 
closure, which was far too entire to admit of our climbing in 
elsewhere. We looked into one or two of the towers in the 
first place. There were three doors : one on the level of the 
ground on the interior, which was perhaps the ordinary en- 
trance ; the other two were on the sides of the tower, even 



278 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

with the top of the wall. Thus the soldiers could make the 
whole circuit of the walls behind an elevated breast-work, or 
parapet, with which the top was crowned, and pass through 
the second story of the towers. Here, too, were the embra- 
sures, similar to those in the towers of Messene, through which 
the bowmen aimed and poured forth murderous discharges 
upon the assailants. Above these, again, were windows, in- 
tended, doubtless, for posts of observation. 

This was the most exposed side of CEnoe ; for on the other 
sides the ascent was more difficult, and, as attack was less to 
be apprehended, there was less need of defence. On the south- 
ern side, toward the khan, the walls descend lower, and are not 
in an equal state of preservation. The two chief gates were 
in the western wall. They appeared to me either to have 
been capped by a huge lintel, like the great gate of Messene, 
or to have been arched over with approaching stones. Like 
that gateway, each was double, and, between the two sets of 
doors, contained a small court. In every city whose walls are 
well preserved, the size of this open space varies, as well as its 
shape. At Messene it was a large circular court ; at Pano- 
peus it was small ; at Larissa Cremaste there was merely a 
shallow recess on either side of the passage between the gates. 
Here the space is somewhat larger. In the centre of the in- 
closure of the walls is a small detached quadrangular structure, 
of which only the lower part is standing — probably an interior 
fort or watch-tower. It is chiefly remarkable for the mode 
of its construction : the stones are large, but instead of being 
rectangular, as in all the other walls, they are irregular poly- 
gons of various shapes, all closely fitted to each other. It 
seemed to me the most probable hypothesis, that this tower 
was contemporaneous in its erection with the remainder of 
CEnoe, and that the architect chose this style of building from 
motives of taste. It was an imitation of the old Pelasgian 
and Cyclopean works of Mycenae, which were even then ven- 
erable for their age. 

The shadows were deepening in the ravines, and slowly 
crept up the mountain sides. They warned us to bestir our- 
selves, and seek the khan, situated in the gorge far below us, 
by the side of a noisy brook. Janni had been ambitious to 



ACROPOLIS OP OENOE. 27*J 

end off as well as he had commenced, and we sat down about 
^ight o'clock to our last dinner, on which even more than or- 
dinary pains had been expended. Then came a refreshing 
rest, which we relished after our ride of ten hours. Our at- 
tendants meanwhile stretched themselves on the ground out- 
side the door wrapped in their impermeable capotas. Pana- 
giotes came to me the next morning, complaining that he had 
not been able to sleep all night. At fifty paces there stood a 
guard-house for the protection of the pass, where a company 
of soldiers, abandoning all military discipline, had been ca- 
rousing until dawn, interspersing their potations with the 
song and the Romaic dance. 

We were all on our feet at an early hour. The conclusion 
of the journey was drawing near; and, though now beginning 
to regret the termination of the wandering life we had led for 
so many weeks, the magic name of Athens sounded like that 
of a familiar friend, and imparted spirit and energy to all. 
Our first intention had been to return by Eleusis ; but neither 
of my comrades had visited the fortress of Phyle, and they 
therefore wished to return by that way. On the other hand, 
I preferred to go on with the agoyates to Eleusis. Accord- 
ingly, we separated for the day ; but not until we had planned 
an excursion together for the next week to the Cape of Sunium 
and the Temple of Minerva. 

This arrangement allowed me to visit a second time the 
lofty acropolis, and to sketch its most striking points. The 
interest of the locality, and the pure morning breeze sweeping 
through the quiet gorges of the mountains, made me forget the 
flight of time. When I regained the khan, I found that the 
agoyates were gone ; but after saddling my horse, I soon over- 
took them as they were emerging from the mountain pass into 
a small valley, the whole of which was cultivated with wheat. 
We were not long in reaching a lonely Greek tower, an ad- 
ditional defence to the pass and the old road, and the only 
one of the kind I have seen. Only one corner is preserved in 
nearly its full height, with no less than thirty-three courses 
of stone. The ruin has thus assumed the form of a very acute 
pyramid when seen from a distance. 

The road was excellent compared with those over which 



280 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

we had been jogging ; the agoyates were in the best of spirits 
in view of their speedy return home, and I had no reason to 
complain of a slow advance. For some time we crossed a 
monotonous succession of wooded hills, covered chiefly with 
the common pine of the country. Every tree had a notch 
near the ground, on the side of the trunk that was uppermost, 
to collect the resinous sap, which is principally used as an in- 
gredient in the wine. At every important place my compan- 
ions had commissioned Nicholas to obtain some of the "vins 
du pays ;" but they had as uniformly declared them to be a 
beverage unfit for any but savages. The wines are in general 
very sour, and their pitchy taste is very disagreeable to all 
who are unaccustomed to it. Few travelers think even the 
far-famed Samian wine worthy of its world-wide reputation. 

At the village of Mandra we entered upon the Eleusinian 
or Thriasian plain ; and in an hour more we rode into the 
scattered village of Lepsina, or Eleusis. After satisfying my- 
self with a hearty lunch in a hut that answered the three- 
fold purpose of khan, drinking room, and shop, I made the 
rounds of the place. I had nothing to guide me but a plan 
of the site; but there were plenty of boys who volunteered to 
act the cicerone. The striking feature of Eleusis is its acrop- 
olis, a long, low hill, parallel to the sea, under the eastern 
end of which stands the village. I found few ruins of its 
wall, except at the foundation of a ruinous Turkish tower. 
Before reaching the hill, I came to a large collection of an- 
cient remains, drums and capitals of columns, five or six feet 
in diameter. The use of one or two large masses of stone 
was puzzling. On one was carved a head of Minerva, with a 
medallion, or Medusa's head, hanging down in front. These 
were probably remains of the Propylasa. The Temple of 
Ceres, within whose inclosure the celebrated Eleusinian mys- 
teries were celebrated, stood higher up on the rocky platform 
of the hill. I clambered to a small chapel at present occu- 
pying the spot, and gained a fine view of the whole plain. 
Toward the sea the prospect is cut ofi* by the crags of the 
island of Salamis, and in the bay thus inclosed the water 
was of the deepest blue I had ever seen. Not even the Lake 
of Geneva could surpass it in this respect. Inland, the eye 



ELEUSIS. 281 

could trace a long row of arches belonging to the aqueduct, 
by which the Emperor Hadrian supplied the city with pota- 
ble water. 

From the citadel I walked down to the sea-shore, havinir 
first rid myself of the troup of urchins who had pestered me 
"vvith their importunities for " backsheesh" — a cry well known 
in the East, even among the Greeks. They brought coins and 
other curiosities of doubtful antiquity ; but I was incredulous, 
and" refused to purchase. A walk of five or ten minutes 
brought me to the long semicircular pier, which was thrown 
out by the Eleusinians to render their harbor safe from the 
southern and eastern winds. Like every other work of the 
former inhabitants, it was built in the most solid fashion, al- 
though far from being on a large scale. A few boys were 
rimning over the loose stones, and a fishing-smack was moored 
to its end by a cable attached to one of the larger fragments. 
A number of sail were to be seen lazily flapping in the dis- 
tance, ofi" Mount ^galeos, in whose neighborhood much of the 
fish for the Athenian market is cau^t. The air was sultry, 
and, as it was the last day of spring, gave premonitions of the 
approach of summer. 

On my return to the village, I was glad to lie down in the 
shade before following the rest of my company, who had taken 
the road for Athens. A train of camels passing by, almost 
led me to imagine myself in a tropical climate — this being, I 
believe, the only place in Greece where that patient animal 
is found. The road from Eleusis to Athens is one of the best 
in the country. It follows an ancient highway, once lined 
with monuments, of which only one or two can now be rec- 
ognized. The Eleusinian Cephissus, and one or two other 
streams, cross the road on their way to the bay, around which 
we wound for a time. Just at the base of Mount Corydallus, 
where the road enters the pass, we reached the two salt- 
springs called Rheiti, once dammed to turn some mills, but 
now left open. They formed the ancient fi'ontier between 
Athens and Eleusis. The old thoroughfare is still evident, 
fi:om its track cut deep in the rock. I rode on alone, and en- 
tered the picturesque pass of Daphne. At one place a num- 
ber of small niches in the rock indicate that a heathen temple, 



282 THEBES AND ELEUSIS. 

probably of Venus, stood in the vicinity ; and the inscriptions 
relate to the votive offerings placed within them by the piety 
of the devout worshippers. The foundations of the temple it- 
self stand near by. 

Farther on, upon "the Sacred Way," as the route was 
called which the great procession took when the mysteries 
were to be celebrated at Eleusis, I came to the Monastery of 
Daphne. Tying my horse outside the walls, I entered the 
courts, which were overgrown with grass, and seemed nearly 
deserted. The only living thing within was a dog whom I 
roused too suddenly from his slumbers, and who retaliated by 
a show of his teeth. There were many ruins around. The 
old Byzantine church, a curious specimen of architecture, 
stands on the site of an extensive temple dedicated to Apollo. 
M. Buchon, the indefatigable chronicler of the Frankish dom- 
ination of Greece in the Middle Ages, made an interesting 
discovery here a few years ago. It appears that Daphne was 
called Delphina in the Middle Ages, and that this church was 
the burying-place of the Pukes of Athens. "M. Buchon found 
their armorial bearings upon several of the tombstones on the 
floor. 

Remounting my horse, I pressed forward to the brow of the 
hill, where the plain of Athens soon burst upon my eyes. 
The glorious Acropolis, with its russet-tinged temple, looked 
like the face of an old friend ; and Athens itself wore a home- 
like air. Beyond it the long ridge of Hymettus, and the peak 
of Pentelicus, on the left, were purple in the rays of the setting 
sun. But I did not pause to contemplate the scene. In a 
few minutes more I had gained the plain. Then I passed 
through the olive-grove, that forms a wide belt of luxuriant 
green on either side of the Cephissus ; and, before the close of 
day, was again threading the streets of Athens. 




THE PLAIK OF MAKATHON. 



CHAPTER XX. 

RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

See there the olive grove of Academe, 

Plato's retirement, where the Attic bird 

Trills her thick- warbled notes the summer long ; 

There flowery hill Hymettiis, with the sound 

Of bees' industrious murmur, oft invites 

To studious musing ; there Ilissus rolls 

His whispering stream. Milton. 

MARATHON. 

The plain of Marathon lies about twenty-two miles distant 
from Athens, and, until lately, two days at least were required 
to visit it and return. Travelers from the West, however, 
are generally so pressed for time, that they have induced the 
guides, into whose hands they commit themselves, to devise a 
plan by which, with slightly increased expenditure, they may 
spare a day from the more numerous attractions of Athens, 
without at all affecting their " six months' tour in Europe." 

Finding that the visit to Marathon could now — thanks to 
the exertions of those gentlemen— be accomplished as conven- 
iently in one day as in two, I joined a couple of friends in 
undertaking the trip. The ride being a long one, we were 
obliged to rise early for departure. A guide came with a car- 
riage to my lodgings before five o'clock in the morning. After 



284 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

rattling a while through the narrow and roughly paved streets 
of the city, we came to a tolerable road, which led out into 
the country by the great stuccoed palace of King Otho and 
the more tasteful gardens in its rear. On our left was Mount 
Lycabettus, a high hill overhanging Athens on the north- 
east, from whose summit I had many a time watched the 
last beams of the sun falling over the golden waves of the 
Saronic Gulf, "as it set behind the mountains of Salamis. 
Centuries ago, how many an anxious eye must have been 
strained by those who, from the temple adorning that height, 
gazed upon the hostile fleets as they advanced to the engage- 
ment in yonder narrow strait of Salamis. From the stony 
plain at the base of the mountain, now just beginning to re- 
cover its verdure after a rainy spring, we took a northerly 
course toward the little village of Cephisia, at the very foot 
of Mount Pentelicus. The plain — at least the part that bor- 
dered the road — was barren, and seemed almost uncultivated. 
But, as we approached the village, it became more fertile; 
and now and then appeared a garden or vineyard, surrounded 
by walls of sun-dried bricks, thatched with straw or wild 
broom. Our carriage stopped at a small house, where we 
found the horses that had been sent forward the previous day 
awaiting us ; for here, at the distance of nine or ten miles 
from Athens, the carriage road ceases, and the traveler must 
pursue his way over the mountains, upon the same rugged 
paths by which the natives have been content for centuries to 
keep up a communication with the neighboring villages. 

The road wound about the northern side of Mount Pentel- 
icus, into a valley which is a prolongation of the plain of 
Athens. The soil was still less fertile than before ; not a 
village or hamlet was visible. To the north, the lofty range 
of Mount Parnes, which from Athens shuts off all prospect in 
this direction, gradually sank as we advanced eastward ; and 
in one place displayed a narrow gap, one of the few openings 
between Attica and Boeotia. This was Deceleia, a famous 
pass in ancient times. It constituted the only communication 
through Parnes, with the exception of Phyle, and was there- 
fore esteemed a most important post for defence. It was 
through this defile, which certainly does not appear to be a 



PLAIN OV MARATHON. 285 

very easy one, that Mardonius, with his army of Persians, re- 
treated to Platsea, after the fight at Salamis. Sixty or seventy 
years later, the Lacedasmonians, who seized it in the midst of 
the civil wars, made it the centre of their predatory incursions 
into Attica. And so strong is this position, that they could 
not be dislodged from their post, though in full sight of Athens, 
not twenty miles distant. 

The valley we were in soon contracted into a narrow ravine 
covered with various shrubs* A succession of ascents brought 
us to the top of the pass, overlooking the village of Vrana. 
Another picturesque and more thickly wooded gorge led us 
down to the opening of the plain of Marathon, which was 
spread out in beauty before us. The background of this 
charming scene was jQUed up by the mountains of Euboea, 
among which the rocky head of Zagoras overtopped the rest. 
The recent rains had given it, like some other peaks, a heavy 
cap of snow. Between the island and the main land was the 
Euripus, which is here seven or eight miles wide, and, in going 
northward, alternately contracts and expands, until, at Chalcis, 
the shores approach so near oiie another, that a stone might 
almost be thrown across the channel. The plain itself is per- 
fectly level for five or six miles in length, and it can not be 
less than three miles to the nearest point of the beach. The 
water beyond it is quiet and glassy ; for a long, low, and nar- 
row tongue of land breaks the force of the eastern winds, and 
the bay thus formed is only exposed to the southern wind, or 
Sirocco. The ancients fancied a resemblance between this 
peninsula and a dog's tail ; and therefore called it Cynosura. 
From the hillock on which we stood we could not see the 
tumulus. It lay hidden by the projecting spur of the mount- 
ain to our right ; but the wide and shallow river of Marathona 
was visible in the distance, reaching the sea after a meander- 
ing course through the plain. A gap in the hills on our right 
was just wide enough to disclose Mount Pentelicus, covered 
with newly-fallen snow; and there was a ruined monastery 
with a single tall cypress in its garden, to serve as a fore- 
ground. 

Vrana was a convenient spot for our morning meal. The 
sun was scarcely yet in the meridian, but a ride of several 



286 - EAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

hours enabled us to do honor to the simple viands which our 
guide, George, drew from a capacious basket. The absence 
of chairs, or of any substitute which could be procured from 
the neighboring huts, compelled us to adopt the most common 
Oriental posture ; and as we sat cross-legged on the turf, all 
the population of the hamlet collected at a short distance from 
us to make observations on our costume and habits. The 
urchins, albeit scarce a week passes without their seeing some 
of the "milordi," were vastly edified with our appearance. 
As for the women, with the distaff in one hand, and twirling 
the spindle with the other, they talked and spun, until it was 
hard to determine whether tongue or hands were most busy. 




•^>r 






THE MOUND AT MAKATHON. 

We reached the mound raised over the slain of the battle 
of Marathon by pursuing an almost direct course across the 
fields. The roads, if mere beaten paths may be dignified with 
that name, are annually ploughed up in the spring ; so that 
without any offence we could leap ditches, and dash over the 
fields of young wheat, as is, indeed, the universal practice in 
Greece. The hillock, or funeral mound, under which the 
hundred and ninety-two Athenians who perished in battle 
are buried, is perhaps thirty feet high. If its shape was ever 
angular, time has worn it down into a rounded form, except 
where the sacrilegious travelers of this century, in searching 



BATTLE-GROUND OF MARATHON. 287 

for brass and flint arrow-heads, have scraped away some earth 
from its sides. Unfortunately for these antiquarians, the latter 
sort has been found in abundance at places where no battle 
is known to have been fought with the Persians ; for to those 
barbarians these primitive wedge-like missiles have been at- 
tributed. Geologists pronounce them to be of nature's own 
fashioning. 

Standing upon the top of this monument of ancient glory, I 
could easily distinguish the positions most probably occupied 
by the belligerent parties twenty-three centuries ago. The 
Medes and Persians under Datis landed from their boats along 
the neighboring beach. The Athenians and Platseans, under 
Miltiades and his nine associates, had encamped the previous 
night in the neighborhood, at Marathon, a village occupying 
the site of the hamlet where we lunched. Thence they had 
descended to meet the Persians, and stationed themselves in 
such a manner as to have either wing protected by a high hill. 
The centre of their line was weak, either purposely or from 
necessity; while the extremities were made very strong. 
"When the engagement commenced, the Persians were success- 
ful in the centre. But the victorious Athenians from the 
wings pouring in upon them, as it would appear, after a some- 
what disputed combat, put to rout the whole multitude of the 
barbarians. The greater part ran to the sea, and saved them- 
selves in boats, which they had drawn up on the sand ; but 
many becoming entangled in the swamp, which was on their 
right, were cut off by the Athenians, or drowned. 

Modern writers pretend to correct the numbers of the Persian 
host, as given by ancient historians. For they calculate that, 
instead of the half a million or more warriors, that were at- 
tributed to Darius by the later Latins and Greeks, the ships 
that brought them from Asia could not have contained two 
hundred thousand men. Of these, it is conjectured that not 
more than 30,000 were actually engaged in the battle, and 
opposed to 11,000 Greeks. So that, after all, the myriads of 
the " Great King" dwindle down to what would now be con- 
sidered rather an insignificant armament for conquering a 
whole country. The glory of Miltiades would also be reduced 
to the skill employed in making one of his soldiers more 



288 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

effective than three -of his antagonists. Be this as it may, 
Herodotus, the only historian who can claim the authority of 
a contemporary, contents himself with stating the number of 
the slain at nearly 200 on the side of the Athenians, and at 
6400 on that of the Persians. 

It was difficult for me to realize that the quiet plain I was 
looking upon had ever been the scene of so dreadful a conflict, 
and that here had been decided the fate not of Greece alone, 
but of all Europe. The quiet fields were occupied only by a 
few peasants engaged in ploughing. In the distance, to the 
northwest, could plainly be distinguished the marsh so fatal 
to the fugitives. It was not now so wet, however, as in the 
autumn, which was the season of the year when the battle 
took place. 

From the mound we rode to the sea-shore, along which 
pursuing our way a mile southward, we reached the remains 
of a Temple of Minerva, which was surnamed Hellotis, just as 
an Italian church in a similar situation would, at the present 
day, be dedicated to " Our Lady of the Marsh." All that 
now remains of it is four or five plain, round columns, a foot in 
diameter, standing in the midst of a mandra, or sheep-fold, 
and an altar or pedestal in a neighboring field. An interest- 
ing circumstance connected with this temple was the discovery 
of one of the most ancient authentic pieces of sculpture that 
have, so far as I know, been found in Greece. It bears the 
name of the artist, and is thereby known to have been exe- 
cuted in the sixth century before our era. So perfect is every 
lineament of the face, and every fold of the drapery, that it 
has been thought worth while to place this large bas-relief in 
a glass case. It is now in the collection of antiques within 
the walls of the old Temple of Theseus at Athens, and might 
easily be mistaken at first sight for a fine slab from Nineveh 
or Thebes. 

The day was by this time far advanced ; and having now 
seen all that is most interesting at Marathon, we turned our 
faces westward. Instead of retracing our steps to Vrana, we 
directed them to the present village of Marathona, imbosomed 
in a small valley some distance to the north. From it a tor- 
rent issues and waters the plain. We reached it, after passing 



GEOTTO OF THE NYMPHS. 289 

on our left the marble platform supposed to have been that 
of a monument erected in honor of JMiltiades. There was 
no distinct road to the village ; but our guide's knowledge 
was reliable enough as to the depth of the stream; and we 
avoided the bends by crossing alternately from one side of 
the river to the other. We did not tarry at the few houses, 
which, by a singular but not uncommon misnomer, have 
assumed the name of Marathon (whereas that village, doubt- 
less, stood on the site of Vrana), but hurried on, by a difficult 
and rugged ascent, to reach the path by which we had come 
that morning. George preceded us, and, on one occasion, had 
advanced so far that he was hidden fi^om us by a curve of the 
little gorge. Suddenly there was heard a noise of men appar- 
ently wrangling, and then the discharge of a gun, after which 
all was quiet again. It would have required no great stretch 
of imagination to fancy an encounter with brigands ; for the 
northern part of Attica is from time to time infested with rob- 
bers, and our guide might have fallen a victim. The chances 
of such a catastrophe, however, were small. Besides, upon 
going forward, we were reassured by seeing George dismounted, 
and, engaged in peaceable conversation with a couple of peas- 
ants. The sole sufferer was a large vulture, which, being 
gorged with food, could not fly off with the rest of the flock 
to which it belonged. It must have measured five feet or 
more from the tip of one vdng to that of the other. The 
peasant who killed it, after cutting off the two wings, for 
the sake of the feathers, threw the rest away, and then ac- 
companied our party most of the way to Cephisia. 

Before we entered the carriage again on our return, we 
went to see a pretty water-fall of the principal branch of the 
famous Cephissus, where the shelving rocks, extending round 
in crescent shape, form a sort of cave. In summer time this 
" Grotto of the Nymphs" must be a delightful resort for the 
Athenians. And Cephisia, the only country place in the 
vicinity which abounds in water, was formerly a still more 
favorite site for the villas of the rich than it is now. There 
remained ample time for us, after seeing aU the curiosities of 
the place, to return to Athens by daylight. 

N 



290 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 



SUNIUM. 

Sunium occupies the extreme southerly point of Attica, at 
the distance of thirty or forty miles from Athens. It has been 
customary to devote to the excursion the greater part of three 
days. The construction of new roads, however, and better 
arrangements have reduced the time required to a single day. 
We rose before dawn on the last morning of spring, and left 
Athens in a carriage, intending to ride as far as there existed 
any respectable road, which, fortunately for us, was the case 
for a longer distance than in any other direction from the 
capital of Greece. 

If the reader will but cast his eye over a good map of this 
triangular peninsula of Attica, he will at once notice its singu- 
lar conformation. A lofty ridge, bounding it on the north, 
forms the base of the triangle, while the sea-shore describes 
the other sides. From this central trunk, which bears in one 
place the name of Cithaeron, and in another that of Parnes, 
two lesser branches run down to the Sarohic Gulf, dividing 
Attica into three unequal plains. Of these, the plain of 
Athens is the largest, and is intermediate between that of 
Eleusis on the west, and Mesogaea toward the southeast. 
Mount Hymettus appears from Athens to cut off all commu- 
nication with this small inland plain ; but the road to Sunium 
finds an entrance into it through a wide gap at its upper end. 

The country until we reached the village of Keratia, where 
the carriage road terminates, possessed little interest. Arid 
and stony, it is incredible that under any circumstances the 
soil should have supported a large population. Not a stream 
of running water, at this season of the year, greets the traveler's 
eye ; scarcely a single tree throws its grateful shade upon the 
road-side. The parsimony of nature has in some degree been 
counterbalanced by the beneficence of man. Fountains have 
been constructed, and wells dug, at short intervals along the 
road. I asked a native how it happened that these wells 
should have been made at so great expense in lonely tracts, 
far from any human habitation. "Why," replied the Greek, 
"the erection of a fountain is regarded as ^ psychicon., or meri- 
torious deed to aid in the salvation of one's soul. It is the same 



SILVER MINES OF MOUNT LAURIUM. 291 

feeling that induces men to found churches or chapels, in ful- 
fillment of vows made in sickness or danger." I could not 
but admire the benevolence thus displayed, notwithstanding 
its erroneous motive. Beggars in the streets of Athens (who 
are almost always either cripples or blind) are supported, on a 
similar principle, by the contributions of the passers-by. It is 
sometimes even ludicrous to see a representative, or some other 
well-known politician, slip a lepton (not quite two mills) into 
the hand of a poor man, and accompany it with the notice 
that it is ''for his soul's sake." One is almost tempted to 
think that the coin is an indication of the value he sets upon 
the object in question. 

We reached Keratia in about four hours from the time of 
leaving Athens, and waited in a large khan, which served at 
once as a country inn and store, until our horses were made 
ready. The men of the village being mostly busy at their 
w^ork, we sat comparatively undisturbed by their impertinent 
curiosity. The remainder of our ride was the more difficult 
part. At first, the path led over a tolerably level district ; 
but soon we came to the hills, which formerly went by the 
name of Mount Laurium, and which reach the very margin 
of the sea. The rock formerly abounded with veins of a lead 
ore containing a large proportion of silver. But this com- 
modity, which enriched the Athenian commonwealth in its 
palmy days, had already grown scarce in later times. The 
ore was worked even a second time, in order to extract every 
particle of the precious metal. And now, it is said, not a 
trace of the silver can be found. The activity of the miners 
in days bygone is evinced by huge heaps of scoria, or dross, 
that surround the old shafts, and are of such size as to excite 
much surprise.* 

We presently reached the sea-shore at a small bay, whence, 
for more than an hour, our path led us over rocks bordering 

* It is certainly an interesting fact that the silver drawn from these 
mines was equally distributed among all the citizens, until Themisto- 
cles persuaded the people to apply this branch of their revenue to the 
building of ships for the Persian war. The silver extracted from the 
piece of stone you pick up on Mount Laurium may perchance have 
been used in equipping the fleet that served at Salamis. 



292 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

the water. The tracks worn by those who have from, time to 
time passed over them, follow all the contortions and fissures 
of the strata. Our horses would occasionally come to a nar- 
row ledge, which, with all our confidence in their sure-footed- 
ness, seemed rather perilous. At length we beheld, on the crest 
of a neighboring hill, the remains of the ancient Temple of 
Minerva, which we had come so far to visit. 

The view from the summit well repaid us for the difficulty 
of the ascent. We had reached the end of the Attic penin- 
sula. The ^gean Sea, unruffled by a single breath of air, 
presented a glassy appearance, which the ocean never exhib- 
its. Beyond were the islands of the Archipelago, seemingly 
but a few miles distant. But more impressive than all was 
the unbroken silence that reigned around us. Not a living 
thing had we encountered for nearly three hours. In fact, no 
one permanently inhabits this vicinity. The temple is better 
known by the seamen than by the natives ; and the Italian 
sailors have given the promontory its present designation of 
Cape Colonna. Only twelve out of twenty-four columns re- 
main. The order is that most commonly employed in the 
existing edifices of Greece — the simple and chaste Doric. 
Yet, in some respects, the Temple of Sunium differs from all 
other examples of this style. The flutings of the columns 
are wider and less numerous than in the Parthenon ; while 
the shafts are so tall and slender as to present a marked con- 
trast with those of the other temples, and especially with 
those of the Peloponnesus. At a short distance they appear 
to vie in lightness with pillars of the Ionic order. Sheltered 
by its situation from depredations on the part of the peas- 
antry for building purposes, the temple is exposed to the full 
violence of every tempest that blows over it, and of every 
earthquake that rocks its foundations. But the more insidi- 
ous agency of the saline exhalations from the sea has corroded 
its pillars, destroyed its sharp outlines, and obliterated every 
trace of its marble sculptures. The platform upon which the 
edifice stands is yet remaining entire. The walls of ancient 
Sunium may be traced through their whole circuit. It was 
evidently a place of some note as the chief town in the mining 
district of Mount Laurium. 



EXCURSION TO FHYLE. 



298 



KetiA^ning to Keratia, we pursued a route less rocky, pass- 
ing by Thoricus, the modern Therico. The only objects of 
interest in this little hamlet are a gate of unusual construc- 
tion, a ruined colonnade, and the remains of a small theatre. 
An hour later we were in the carriage returning to Athens. 
On our way we stopped for a few minutes in the vicinity of a 
chapel dedicated to St. John, to examine a marble lion of 
colossal size; but the execution was feeble, and the monu- 
ment too much defaced to be worthy of notice. 



PHTLE. 



Professor B. was my companion on a pleasant excursion 
to the fortress of Phyle, situated in the very midst of Mount 
Parnes, which played a prominent part in Grecian story. 
Before we got under way, the sun was well up, and pouring 
his almost insupportable rays upon us. We were provided 
with books, maps, and provisions; and each carried, besides, 
an umbrella, without whose protection scarce any one ven- 
tures out during the warm season. The weather soon, how- 
ever, underwent a favorable change ; and the sky being over- 




YIEW OF PHYLE. 



294 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

cast, we were not long exposed to great heat. As we left 
the thoroughfares of the city, we struck upon an ill-defined 
road leading to the northwest ; and, after making a slight de- 
scent, found ourselves approaching the little River Cephissus, 
which, in its'course of twenty miles from the mountains, scat- 
ters fertility and verdure around. Great was the contrast be- 
tween its banks and the rest of the plain, which in the month 
of October is dry, parched, and dusty. The whole valley, in 
its width of six miles, had been stripped of nearly every ves- 
tige of vegetation ; for not a drop of water had fallen during 
the previous four or five months. The Cephissus, in truth, 
makes but a poor show as to extent. At no time does it 
equal a moderate creek. Its waters are drawn ofi* by canals, 
and let out by the government to the neighboring land-owners 
in measured quantities, and at a fixed price. What is not ab- 
sorbed by the ground, finds its way to the vicinity of the Bay 
of Phalerum, where it loses itself in the midst of the fields ; 
and but little, after all, reaches the sea. The equally famous 
Ilissus, on the eastern side of Athens, is still more unfortunate, 
as, durmg the warm months, its bed becomes entirely dry. 

The olive grove lining the banks of the Cephissus forms a 
belt of verdure for half a mile or more on either side, and is 
one of the most flourishing in all Greece. The trees are old, 
and twisted into the most fantastic shapes imaginable. The 
locality acquires additional interest from the fact that the 
Academy was situated in this vicinity, that garden where Plato 
was wont to teach his disciples, where the principles of a mo- 
rality superior to that of the times were inculcated, and pop- 
ular fallacies were refuted. But, alas for the reverence of the 
antiquarian, the precise spot can scarcely be determined with 
certainty. The two low hillocks of Colon os, a short distance 
to the right, are more certainly known. Here was the birth- 
place of the great poet Sophocles, who, in his tragedies, has 
represented CEdipus as on this spot lamenting his misfortunes. 
On one hillock stands the simple monument of Mtiller the 
Philhellene, who, after spending a lifetime in the study of 
Greciaa history, begged that he might be buried here in sight 
of some of its most glorious monuments. Half an hour later 
we saw the Queen's Tower, a sort of country house, to which 



A SUMMER VILLAGE. 295 

the royal couple may frequently be seen riding. Queen Amelia 
is passionately fond of equestrian exercises, and is esteemed 
the best rider in the kingdom. What with riding and dan- 
cing, her time is pretty fully occupied, and she finds little leis- 
ure to attend to the concerns of her subjects. Her non-inter- 
ference, probably, quite as much as her reputed gentleness and 
beauty, has won the good-will of a people who certainly es- 
teem themselves quite capable of managing their own affairs. 
An hour or two more brought us opposite Mount Penteli- 
cus and Cephisia, on the other side of the great plain of 
Athens. Here we turned into a valley between the hills, and 
began ascending to the village of Khassia. More properly 
the assemblage of houses we reached was merely the calyvia, 
or summer residence, of the inhabitants of Khassia. The real 
village lay out of sight. During the summer season the in- 
habitants abandon their villages, either because their position 
is unhealthy, or because they possess lands in a more elevated 
situation. These they must visit to plough and sow with 
grain during the early spring, and to reap the crops in the 
month of June, after the termination of harvest in the plains. 
Let not the reader imagine here one of those smiling vil- 
lages of New England, whose regular streets are shaded by 
long rows of old elms, or adorned with lofty poplars ; whose 
neat white houses testify alike to the industry and the success 
of the inhabitants. We found ourselves entering a confused 
mass of huts, built of stone or mud, and huddled together 
without regard to order or symmetry. The streets — often 
not eight feet wide — were unpaved and dirty. There did not 
seem to be a single tree or bush in the place. As we dis- 
mounted to rest our horses a while, some ragged boys in Al- 
banian costume came to earn a few lepta by holding them ; 
while three or four grown men, who might have been profita- 
bly employed in the cultivation of their fields, sat under an ad- 
joining shed smoking their pipes and watching our movements. 
We walked a short distance through the neighboring lanes, but 
discovered nothing worthy of notice. "Here and there the eye 
was met by the tottering wall of a cottage, whose tiled or 
thatched roof had fallen in. It was the very picture of deso- 
lation. We were heartily rejoiced when our horses had been 



296 K AMBLES IN ATl'ICA, 

sufficiently refreshed to allow of our proceeding. A few rods 
beyond the village there was a clear spring of water, where 
we found all the women of the village engaged in washing. 
This operation did not consist in rubbing the clothes with the 
hand or upon a board. Instead of this, the articles were al- 
ternately dipped in water, and pounded between two boards 
or two flat stones until they acquired the necessary degree 
of whiteness. What seemed to give the washers most trouble, 
however, was the fustanella, or white shirt, worn by the men, 
which any one who has ever seen an Athenian in native cos- 
tume can not fail to remember. A strip of linen, a yard or 
three quarters of a yard wide, is wound in a loose manner, 
sometimes a dozen or more times about the body, and fastened 
by a long sash tightly drawn around the waist. This, too, 
gives the pallecaris a wasp-like figure, on which they are wont 
to pride themselves beyond measure. The white skirts, when 
stretched upon the grass, cover a great space. The whole fe- 
male population paused for a moment in their occupation to 
reconnoitre us as we approached. Altogether they formed a 
picturesque group. With a freedom that might have shocked 
fastidious eyes, they had tucked up their dresses above the knee, 
and stood ankle deep in water. 

From Khassia to Phyle the winding bridle path more than 
doubles the direct distance. We followed during much of the 
time the sides of a narrow ravine. At the bottom the dry 
bed of a torrent, which during the winter pours its waters 
into the plain of Eleusis, left no room for a road. Accord- 
ingly, we were obliged to make frequent ascents and descents 
before coming in sight of the fortress. The sides of the hills 
were covered with pine-trees wherever the rocky nature of 
the soil did not preclude their growth. The inhabitants put 
them in requisition, not only to furnish the fuel they need, 
but also to flavor their wines. 

The fortress of Phyle at length came in sight. It occupies 
the summit of a somewhat isolated hill, that stands in the 
middle of the principal pass leading over Mount Parnes from 
Attica into Boeotia. On two sides it is protected by almost 
perpendicular rocks. There no walls were necessary, and 
none seem ever to have existed. On the other sides it was 



THRASYBULUS AT PHYLE. 297 

defended by strong fortifications, built of regular courses of 
masonry, of wliich I counted in some places sixteen yet re- 
maining. The stones composing them seemed to be in general 
from three to six or eight feet in length, and about two feet 
high. We entered the precincts of the fortress, clambering 
over the rubbish formed by the fall of a portion of the wall, 
about midway between a square and a circular tower. From 
the platform, on which stood the barracks of the ancient gar- 
rison, no trace of antiquity could be descried. The only visi- 
ble proof that the spot had been inhabited of old was the 
abundance of small fragments of vases and other pottery, 
which are found on antique sites when all other signs have 
disappeared. 

The view from this position, which was a favorite one with 
Lord Byron, is almost unequaled. Not so panoramic as that 
from the summit of Mount Pentelicus, it presents in a more 
contracted space a picture of Athens and its vicinity. The 
wide notch in the mountain allows you to distinguish the city, 
and the Acropolis towering above it. Hymettus beyond con- 
stitutes a fine background — the plain, which is sunny and ani- 
imated, in lively contrast with its sombre, deeply-furrowed 
side. To the right of this are the waters of the Saronic Gulf. 
If the day be clear, the faint outline of mountains in the Pelo- 
ponnesus is perceptible to the eye. 

But the attractions of the scenery do not equal the historic 
interest of this famous spot. The name of Phyle is honored 
as few others are, with an inscription upon the brightest page 
only of Grecian story, finding no mention in the records of the 
country's decline and fall. Its position under the old mode of 
warfare was almost impregnable, and commanded the passage 
between two rival states ; but in modern days, the Acropolis 
of Phyle being much less important, has never, I believe, been 
occupied by a military force. The spot has been completely 
abandoned by men. 

Thrasybulus, an Athenian patriot during the reign of the 
Thirty Tyrants, having escaped from Thebes, threw himself 
into Phyle, and with a handful of his countrymen set himself 
in opposition to the Spartans. It required but a short time 
to put the fortress in complete order for defence, so strong 

N2 



298 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

was its natural position, so perfect were the walls. From 
Athens tka tyrants viewed with anxiety this invasion, and 
determined, by the help of their three thousand troops, to 
crush the incipient rebellion. But their first rash attack was 
repelled with ease; and the assailants were compelled to at- 
tempt the reduction t)f the place by cutting off supplies. This 
plan was frustrated without the interference of the besieged. 
A sudden fall of snow occurred, and the army decamped, as 
one may imagine, rather crest-fallen. The tyrants could not, 
however, suffer an enemy to remain intrenched so close upon 
the city, and therefore the following day sent a body of troops 
to encamp as a guard within a few furlongs of the fortress. 
Here was a fair opportunity for the exercise of the general- 
ship of Thrasybulus, who succeeded in surprising them one 
morning about dawn. A second time he put the enemy to 
rout with considerable loss of men and arms.* But with 
Thrasybulus and his noble exploits the short drama of Phyle 
concluded, and its name even is scarcely heard again in his- 
tory, f The ivy — that faithful attendant of fallen greatness — 
clings to the now deserted walls ; but while its branches hang 
down in luxurious festoons in front, its roots are gradually 
loosening the massive stones, and contributing to the work of 
destruction. I plucked a leaf with greater reverence than from 
that which creeps over the ruins of the Palace of the Caesars. 
The return from Phyle was no less agreable than the ride 
thither. The heat was more moderate, and the sides of Hy- 
mettus and Pentelicus were bathed in a flood of golden light 
as the sun sank behind Mount ^galeos. 

THE MARBLE QUARRIES OF PENTELICUS. 

The quarries of Mount Pentelicus are celebrated through- 
out the world for the spotless material they have furnished to 
ancient and modern art. The remaining edifices of antiquity 

* Xenophon, Hell, ii., 4 ; 2-7. 

f When it was stipposed that Philip was about to invade Attica, a 
decree was passed that all not on duty should remove to Athens ; and 
that all goods be brought in from the fields into Athens or Pirseus, un- 
less they were more than 120 stadia distant from Athens ; in which 
case they were to be carried to Eleusis, Phyle, Aphidna, Rhamnus, and 
Sunium. (Demosth. de. Cor., 238.) 



EXCURSION TO PENTELICUS. 299 

at Athens are mostly constructed of Pentelic marble; and the 
columns of the Parthenon, albeit time has not spared their im- 
maculate whiteness, are all the more beautiful for the excel- 
lence of this far-famed stone. If there were, however, as great 
a demand for it in Greece as there is at present in Italy, wc 
should probably see no less waste than in the quarries of Car- 
rara. It is fortunate that these treasures are too remote from 
the capital to become an object of spoliation to the Athenians 
of our day ; and the best wish we can make for posterity is 
that the citizens may remain ignorant of their value, or indif- 
ferent to their beauty, until some new Phidias may arise to 
make a proper use of them. 

A winter's day is barely sufficient to go from Athens to 
Pentelicus and return. The quarries, being all the time, in 
sight, serve as a goal to the traveler. I mistook them at 
first for patches of snow. Starting from Athens in the early 
part of December with a party of American travelers, we 
followed for a time the road to Marathon. Presently turn- 
ing to the right, we reached the hamlet of Calandri, pleas- 
antly situated in an olive grove at the distance of six miles 
from Athens. Not a house had we passed on our way- In- 
dependent of the fact that the Greeks are, like the French, a 
social people, the unsettled state of the country, until within 
a few years, rendered it scarcely safe to inhabit a lonely spot, 
even within gun-shot of the suburbs. The fields, which are 
stony and sandy, are but poorly cultivated in comparison 
with the more fertile parts of the country. A few miles be- 
yond this insignificant village, we came to the foot of the 
mountain, and found here a new and unfinished country seat 
of the Duchess of Plaisance. This eccentric woman was a 
Philadelphian by birth, and was married to a Frenchman.. 
But her oddities proving too much for the happiness of both 
parties, it was agreed that they should live apart, though on 
the most friendly terms. The amiable old lady now confined 
her attention to her buildings, and to half a dozen dogs of 
various kinds, which she took out on an airing every after- 
noon. She enjoyed among the inhabitants the reputation of 
being a millionaire, from having an income of fifteen or twen- 
ty thousand dollars, which was lavishly expended. 



300 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

A few rods farther, we entered a grove of shady trees, with 
a rill of cool water passing through it, and came to the Mon- 
astery of Pentele, or Mendele, for which, as usual, the monks 
have selected the most lovely spot in the neighborhood. In- 
tending to stop here on our return, we commenced the ascent, 
and were soon engaged in a steep and rocky ravine, through 
which, at first, the path winds. Around us we saw many 
of the shrubs of Greece ; among them the oleander and the 
heather, with its copious bunches of flesh-colored blossoms. 
The arbutus, however, most attracted our attention. The 
branches were laden partly with clusters of bell-shaped flow- 
ers, and partly with the yellow or red fruit, which has somC' 
what the flavor of the strawberry. One of our party, after 
tasting sufficiently of the pleasant berries, was considerably 
alarmed when he found that the color of all was not similar, 
and that the leaves of some were remarkably like those of 
the laurel. His companions, for his edification, cited the fa- 
mous incident from Xenophon about the soldiers who were 
poisoned by eating honey made from laurel flowers. Recourse 
to the guide dispelled these fears, and banished all thoughts 
of emetics. The suspected shrub turned out to be only a va- 
riety of the arbutus. 

This ravine was evidently used in ancient times, for there 
are several quarries of considerable extent on either side ; and 
in one place we found two large blocks of marble, hewn per- 
haps centuries ago, lying by the path. But the principal 
quarries are farther up. In themselves, as might be expect- 
ed, they are not very remarkable ; it is rather the immense 
quantity of the stone which has been removed at the cost of 
so much trouble, that strikes you with astonishroent. Here, 
half way up a very steep and rugged mountain, at an eleva- 
tion of fifteen hundred or two thousand feet above the plain, 
whose houses appear like so many dots in the distance, the 
industry of the extraordinary people that once occupied this 
land obtained the materials to beautify their city with tem- 
ples and statuary. Directly in front of the quarries there are 
remains of an ancient inclined plane, in some parts still paved 
with stone, down which the huge blocks of marble were low- 
ered to the base of the mountain. Thence they were labori- 



PROSPECT FROM MOUNT PENTELICUS. oOl 

ously earned to Athens, nearly ten miles distant. The mar- 
ble, which is of a dazzling whiteness by nature, and, when 
highly polished, resembles the purest wax, is here discolored 
by the stains of time ; and ivy thrives where the chisel and 
hammer are no longer heard. The mass of rock that has 
been removed must have been enormous ; and yet there seems 
to remain a boundless store to be worked. 

Adjoining the quarries was a large cave, which we entered. 
It was apparently about two or three hundred feet in depth ; 
but passages branching off from the end run probably far into 
the interior of the mountain. It was just such a cave as the 
ancients used to dedicate to the Muses, or to some rural deity. 
The walls of the cavern were hung toward the entrance with 
tufts of delicate ferns and mosses; and farther on there de- 
scended from the roof large stalactites, which in some places 
had formed thick columns to support the vault. 

Above the cave the mountain rises more than a thousand 
feet. We ascended to enjoy the finest view I ever saw in 
Attica. To reach the top was a somewhat wearisome under- 
taking. Our horses fell repeatedly ; and we found it alto- 
gether more agreeable to perform the rest of the journey on 
foot. We left them a short distance below the summit, to 
which we climbed over rocks, and through clumps of the 
dwarf prickly oak, which abounds on these mountains. We 
were favored with a day than which none could be clearer. 
The eye ranged from Chalcis to the Peloponnesus, and to the 
snow-capped top of Parnassus. But it was the distinctness 
with which all Attica was laid out before om' eyes that most 
struck us. The plain of Marathon seemed actually spread out 
at our feet on one side ; and the city of Athens, ten miles dis- 
tant in a direct line on the other, could have been seen dis- 
tinctly but for the intervening hill, Lycabettus. There is a 
considerable heap of stones upon the very summit of the 
mountain. As the custom is, each traveler adds a new stone 
to it before he leaves. 

On our return, after a tedious descent, the greater part of 
which we were compelled to accomplish on foot, we arrived 
at the monastery, where, by the providence of our good guide, 
Spiro, we found a lunch prepared, which we ate under the 



302 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

porch of the church. The monastery, which is evidently an- 
cient, is surrounded by a wall, with numerous port-holes, 
through which the spiritual inmates have, doubtless, been 
enabled, in more troublous times, to defend themselves against 
the Turk or the kleft. At such periods the inclosure became 
a refuge for the peasants of the neighborhood. The dwellings 
within contain nothing worthy of attention, being constructed 
of wood or stone, very irregularly distributed around the open 
court ; but the church, into which we stepped for a moment, 
is old and singular. The paintings on the walls are executed 
in the ordinary Byzantine style which prevailed a few cen- 
turies back ; but the faces of the apostles in some of them 
have more than usual merit. The vestibule was covered with 
small fresco designs, half obliterated by time, in which the 
Old Testament history, ancient myths, and modern legends, 
are oddly jumbled together. Jonah, with a hideous sea mon- 
ster, figures prominently in them. We saw no monks about ; 
but a company of peasants were propping up the dilapidated 
trellises in the court. Leaving this interesting monastery, 
after having bestowed a trifle for hospitality's sake, we were 
soon coursing over the plain toward Athens. 

HTMETTUS AND ITS BEES. 

Hymettus is the nearest mountain to Athens, its base being 
scarcely two or three miles distant to the southeast. One day 
in January, I seized the opportunity of a fair sky to visit the 
lower parts of the mountain ; and after an hour's walk across 
the plain, commenced the ascent. The dry season was scarcely 
over, for the first winter rain had fallen in December, after 
the annual drought of summer ; but the fields already began 
to look green, and the ground was covered with the common 
anemones of every shade, from white and blue to red. An 
oHve grove was the first sign of our approach to the Monas- 
tery of Syriani, or Caesariani. It contains several buildings 
for the monks. As usual in the cloisters of Greece, the en- 
trance to the rooms is by means of half-decayed verandas and 
staircases running up on the side of the building that faces 
the court. Here, also, is a church, over the door of which I 
noticed a painting of the Presentation of the Virgin at the 



A WARRIOR ABBOT. 303 

Temple, which was striking for its simplicity. Anna sits 
upon a step of the building representing the Temple of Je- 
rusalem, toward whose entrance the child Mary advances ; 
while the angels who are placed around proclaim the event 
to the universe. It is quite in contrast with Titian's grand 
conception of the same subject at Venice. 

The monastery has sadly fallen from its pristine glory. 
The fraternity is represented by a single abbot, who lives here 
quite alone. I afterward learned that he is a man of hospi- 
table disposition and agreeable manners, and regretted that 
I had not made his acquaintance. His is a remarkable his- 
tory, and yet one that has been often paralleled in Greece. 
Previous to the Revolution he officiated as a parish priest; 
but having drawn the sword at the time of the war, and 
killed some Turks, the strict canons of his Church obliged 
him to cease from his ministrations. Under similar circum- 
stances, many others of the clergy have become soldiers, law- 
yers, or politicians. This man, however, preferred a retired 
life, and settled down here. He came near losing his life sub- 
sequently by an act of imprudence. A noted kleft — this oc- 
curred but a few years since — had been infesting Hymettus, 
and levying contributions on the peasants even within sight 
of Athens. The abbot gave notice to the government of his 
lurking-place on the mountain ; and the robber hearing of it, 
vowed to take revenge on the informer. At the same time, 
with that species of frankness which is not inconsistent in the 
breast of the brigand with the greatest amount of cunning, 
he sent a letter to his enemy apprising him of this intention. 
Fortunately for the latter, the kleft himself was murdered by 
an emissary of the government. A peasant was hired to join 
the robbers, and put himself under the command of the crim- 
inal, whom, on the first favorable opportunity, he shot. It is 
reported that this peasant, in his turn, became a kleft, and was 
killed in an affray with the soldiery. 

One part of the worthy abbot's duties seems to be to watch 
over the miracle, which annually occurs on the festival of 
some one of the saints, and which twenty thousand persons 
congregate to witness. As the wonder consists in a sudden 
rise of the water in a certain fountain to an unusual height. 



304 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

and as the pipe that feeds it comes from within the inclosure, 
it must be allowed that his task can scarcely be considered 
very difficult. 

I climbed a ridge which lies directly back of Syriani, whence, 
though it is not the actual summit of Hymettus, a view quite 
as striking as from Pentelicus or Phyle may be obtained. 
But it is not for its scenery alone that this mountain has 
gained celebrity, for it has lost much in picturesque appear- 
ance by the wanton destruction of the forest trees. The hon- 
ey of Hymettus is as well known and as highly appreciated 
now as of yore. The delicate flavor it possesses is said to be 
derived from the thyme that grows wild in the greatest profu- 
sion, both on the mountain and in the plain. It may be that 
the bees gather the greater part of their honey on the former, 
but the hives are certainly all to be found in the little villages 
at its base. 

I remember with pleasure a visit I made to the country 
house of a friend at the little village of Cara (the whole of 
which was attached to his grounds), and the pride with which 
he showed me a yard covered with hives, from which the honey 
had just been gathered. The hives were as rude as possible 
in form. A deep and narrow basket set on end, with the 
mouth covered over, is smeared with clay, rendering it per- 
fectly tight. A hole is then made near the bottom of the 
basket, with which the bees seem quite content. Honey is 
thus obtained in such abundance, that it is sold at one-third 
of the price the most common kind commands in our markets. 

THE STRAITS OP SALAMIS. 

The country between Athens and the Straits of Salamis be- 
ing very level, we determined to make a pedestrian excursion 
to the scene of the naval conflict of Xerxes. We started 
about half past nine o'clock a.m., and took the road to Pi- 
raeus. Before reaching the town, at the distance of five miles 
from Athens, we turned to the right, and entered on a path 
leading westward, parallel to the upper end of the harbor. 
We passed near the modern cemetery, and, contmuing our 
walk, traversed the sites of two ancient demi, which, from 
Leake's map, seem to be those of Echele, near Piraeus, and 



BATPLE OF SALAMIS. 305 

Thymoeta, near the head of Port Phoron. The remains of 
waHs inclosing the latter are quite distinct in courses of large 
stones. The harbor is small, but prettily situated. A caique 
was taking on board some bread when we approached, and 
soon after set sail in the direction of Salamis. It struck me 
on the spot that this little bay is admirably adapted for smug- 
gling ; and so I find it was used in ancient times. This whole 
district is deserted ; and from the time we left the outskirts 
of Piraeus, we found no house at all, and met no persons but 
a few shepherds tending their flocks in solitude, and three or 
four peasants driving their loaded mules to the ferry of Sal- 
amis. 

We soon reached the scene of action between the Greek 
and Persian squadrons. Not far from where we stood, the 
Great King had caused his throne to be erected in a conspicu- 
ous situation. Seated upon this elevation, his eye could glance 
over his fleet ranged in a triple line in front of him. Beyond 
it were the high hills of the island of Salamis; and at the 
bottom of a deep bay below them the town of the same name 
could be plainly distinguished. Across the mouth of this 
bay the Greek vessels were drawn up, between the eastern- 
most promontory of Salamis and a small island that lies in 
the strait. The single line of the Greeks was opposed to the 
far more numerous vessels of Xerxes, which were arranged 
along the shore of the main land as far as Piraeus. But few 
of the barbarians came into the combat. Their numbers only 
increased the confusion that arose, from the violence TNnth 
which the enemy rushed forward to meet them. The two 
back lines of ships were more destructive to their own forces 
than to those of the Greeks, in a strait barely a mile in breadth. 
Fragments from the wreck of this proud armament are said 
to have been strewn along the shore for miles southward of 
Piraeus. "The sea," says ^schylus, "was no longer to be 
seen for the broken ships and the bodies of the slain, which 
covered even the rocks and the shore. The remaining vessels 
of the Persians had recourse to a disorderly flight. Those 
disabled were surrounded by the Greeks ; and the men, like a 
shoal of tunnies or a netful of other fish, were beaten to death 
vdth broken oars. Night alone put an end to the cries and 



806 RAMBLES IN ATTICA. 

groans that filled all the Pelasgian Sea ; for never before was 
such a multitude of men slain in a single day."* Meanwhile 
the astonished and affrighted king, after witnessing the total 
extinction of his fond hopes of conquest, and the destruction 
of an expedition prepared at great pains, was happy to find 
relief from anxiety and danger in a precipitate and inglorious 
flight. This victory sealed the independence of Greece ; and 
the battle of Platsea in the succeeding year (b.c. 479) freed 
her from all apprehension of fresh invasions. 

As we sat on the sea-shore at the base of Mount ^galeos, 
the modern Scaramanga, identifying the localities before us, 
and impressing their outline upon our memory, the unruffled 
strait wore that calm and placid aspect peculiar to the waters 
of this inland sea. There was nothing to disturb the stillness 
of the scene save the caique we had recently seen, and two or 
three row-boats crossing at the ferry of Salamis. But for the 
sure testimony of history, we should have doubted that nature, 
here reposing so quietly, had ever been distracted by the din 
of warlike conflict, and the tumult of deadly passion. 

* This translation is that of Colonel Leake, Attica, p. 253, 254. 




TKMPLE OP MINEKVA AT 6TJNITJM. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE. 

Graiis dedit ore rotundo 
Miisa loqui. (Hor. de arte poeL) 

The modern Greek holds an intermediate rank between the 
classic languages and those that have arisen on their basis in 
the other countries of Southern EuK)pe. None of the latter 
have retained so close a resemblance to the Latin as the former 
bears to the ancient Greek. To this it is owing that scholars 
are divided in opinion with reference to its intrinsic character : 
some calling it an entirely new language, while others regard 
it as simply a dialect or corruption of the ancient. Hence 
the resemblance has hitherto proved rather an injury than an 
advantage to its reputation. Were the diversities of inflection 
and syntax as marked as in the case of the French or Italian, 
the modern Greek would claim to be judged exclusively upon 
its own merits ; but closely related as it is to the ancient, 
there is room for invidious comparison. The superficial ob- 
server is apt to mistake the question, and is tempted to ex- 
claim, "How far inferior to the tongue of Homer and Demos- 
thenes !" instead of asking himself, " How does the language 
compare in richness, flexibility, and harmony with the Italian 
or Spanish f 



308 THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE. 

Much of the depreciation of the modern Greek, which it 
has become fashionable to indulge in, arises out of the diffi- 
culty experienced by foreign tourists, however well educated, 
in understanding the language in its strange pronunciation. 
The system introduced into Europe more than three centuries 
ago, and sanctioned by the name of Erasmus, is so unlike that 
which prevails in Greece, that the accomplished scholar, fa- 
miliar with the writings of Plato and the tragic poets, can 
neither understand the language as now spoken, nor even 
those eminent authors themselves when read aloild by a na- 
tive. It is natural enough, then, that he should regard the 
modern tongue as barbarous, and those that speak it as de- 
generate scions of a noble stock. On more profound examin- 
ation, such a scholar would find the difference less in the lan- 
guage employed than in the pronunciation given to the words, 
and that this springs from two distinct sources. The more 
palpable is the diflferent sound given to letters and diph- 
thongs ; the other, the following of the written accents as the 
sole guide in giving emphasis to syllables. In respect to both, 
the usage of the modern Greeks is perfectly systematic, and 
throughout consistent with itself Each syllable is enunci- 
ated precisely as it is written, and every word emphasized 
according to certain fixed rules — the same that apply to the 
ancient text. 

Most of the consonants have the same sounds as in our sys- 
tem of pronunciation. The letters B, A, and T are softened, 
the first two being sounded like our V and soft tk in that. S 
is always pronounced like X, and 2 never like our Z, even at 
the close of a syllable, except when it precedes the let- 
ter M. X has a sound quite different from K, and not unlike 
the soft G of the Germans. It is, however, with the pronun- 
ciation of the vowels and diphthongs that most fault has been 
found. The Greeks will generally acknowledge that they 
have lost the distinction between o and co, which are now 
alike pronounced long. But not so with the rest. They in- 
sist that aL should be pronounced se, and av and ev, af or av, 
etc. No less than three letters and as many diphthongs re- 
ceive in common the sound of our e ; viz., rj, i, v, el, ol, and 
VI. It is urged by those who agree with Erasmus, that it 



GRAMMATICAL CHANGES. 309 

can not be conceived that the ancients should have employed 
six different methods of expressing a single sound. In reply, 
the modern Greeks, with the disciples of Reuchlin, assert that 
the same inconsistency might be predicated with equal truth 
of any other language. They deny that the harmony of their 
language would be improved by the admission of such sounds 
as those introduced by Erasmus ; and they fortify their posi- 
tion by bringing instances of proper names of Greek origin 
transferred into Latin in such a manner as to show that the 
combinations in question could not have been pronounced as 
Erasmus pretended. The use of the accents is an equally 
fruitful source of contention. Since, however, it is not my 
purpose to enter into the discussion of this intricate subject, 
which ever since the sixteenth century has divided the schol- 
ars of Europe into opposing parties, I shall only add that the 
system of accentuation has been rigidly adhered to ; and, 
whether originally intended for use in pronunciation or not, 
has now become so thoroughly inwrought into the spirit of 
the language as to be followed out with scrupulous exactness 
in all its details. 

Passing on to the acknowledged alterations of the language, 
it will be necessary to specify a few of the more important 
changes in the grammatical forms. In the declension of sub- 
stantives, the most apparent one is the total loss of the dative 
case. The accusative is mostly employed in its place, pre- 
ceded by a preposition. The dual has entirely disappeared. 
The verb has been greatly simplified by omitting in common 
discourse, except in a few conventional phrases, the optative 
mood, and the perfect, pluperfect, and future tenses. The aux- 
iliary verb is introduced to express periphrastically the tenses 
that have thus been lost. The infinitive itself has become 
obsolete, and is clumsily replaced by the subjunctive with a 
conjunction indicative of purpose. 

When we consider the long period of time during which the 
language has been exposed to the common vicissitudes of all 
human inventions, it appears more remarkable that so many 
words should have been retained with little or no alteration, 
than that some should have disappeared and been superseded 
by others of foreign origin. From the very nature of the case, 



310 THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE. 

in the continual intercourse, both peaceable and warlike, with 
the surrounding nations, many terms have been imported from 
Italy, Turkey, and Albania. But the most remarkable cir- 
cumstance in respect to them is, that they have always, as far 
as possible, been changed so as to agree with the analogy of 
the Greek language. One of the most remarkable and char- 
acteristic alterations in words of undoubted Greek origin is 
the abundant use of diminutives — forms indicating, as has 
been somewhere remarked, as great a degeneracy in the peo- 
ple who introduce them as in their language itself. 

A similar revolution has taken place in the syntax. It 
has become less involved, and more consonant with the spirit 
of other modern languages. 

In this enumeration of the chief alterations which the noble 
tongue of the Greeks has undergone, I have described its con- 
dition at the commencement of this century rather than its 
present state. The past fifty years have wrought changes as 
wonderful, perhaps, as the world has ever witnessed in this 
branch of knowledge. It would not be extravagant to assert 
that there has been a greater improvement in the language 
of the people and the education of the masses, than even in 
the government and material prosperity of the country. This 
progress, as it naturally stands connected with the literary la- 
bors of Coray and his less gifted competitors, it seems more 
proper to associate with the consideration of the modern Greek 
literature. But it may not be out of place to repeat a few of 
its results, as they appear at the present day. 

The emendation of the language has been begun by lopping 
off all unnecessary branches. Every word for which a na- 
tive origin was not to be found has been proscribed with ruth- 
less severity. Some of the least offensive, it is true, have 
been tolerated for a time, until suitable substitutes can be 
found ; but their fate is none the less certain. Not that this 
reformation could be effected in a single day; for, as the de- 
parture of the language from its original purity has been gi-ad- 
ual, so must the return be gradual. Yet it has been more 
rapid than the most sanguine could reasonably have expected. 
The press has been assiduous in its exertions for the improve- 
ment of the language. The university has wielded a potent 



NEWSPAPERS AT ATHENS. 311 

influence toward the same end. The government has favored 
the movement by a return to classic usage in the language of 
its codes of law, and in its judicial terms, and even by restoring 
the ancient names of all the townships throughout Greece, 
where any such could be found. So great and so rapid has been 
the change, that, as is elsewhere remarked, even the professors 
in the University of Otho are compelled by it to remodel the 
diction of their discourses every few years. The contagion 
of this new epidemic has spread even to the common people 
of Athens and the other large towns. They are no longer 
content with speaking the same adulterated language as their 
immediate ancestors ; and have consequently introduced words 
and phrases that are quite unintelligible to their less favored 
fellow-citizens, the inhabitants of the villages and rural dis- 
tricts. 

What limits so singular and so radical a movement will 
reach, it is beyond the knowledge of any man living to fore- 
tell. The facility with which new words can still be intro- 
duced indicates that the language is yet in that plastic state 
in which a master hand may mould it as he pleases. At the 
same time, there is danger that the imitation of foreign, and 
especially of French, authors, may exert a deleterious influence 
on its purity and elegance, by the introduction of new and un- 
congenial idioms. On the other hand, a growing acquaint- 
ance with those classic models of composition which they al- 
ready possess, will counteract the inclination of the Greeks to 
copy blindly from their foreign contemporaries. 

The most serious inconvenience springing from the divers- 
ity of pronunciation that exists between the Greeks and the 
scholars of the West, is the formidable obstacle it offers to 
their intercourse with each other. The seven or eight mill- 
ions that speak the modern Greek — a small portion within 
the bounds of the Hellenic kingdom, but the greater part out- 
side of it — are every year advancing in intelligence, wealth, 
and influence. Their national literature is promising. The 
city of Athens already sustains a larger number of journals, 
for its size, than any other city in the world.* The language 

* In 1852 there were fourteen political papers published at Athens ; 
none, however, appeared more frequently than twice or three times s) 



312 THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE. 

has even now reached such a point, that to acquire a reason- 
able degree of facility in speaking it would be the work of but 
a few months, for one familiar with the ancient Greek, were 
it not for the dissimilarity of pronunciation. As the Greek 
people seems destined to exert an important influence among 
the nations of the globe, it were really desirable that this bar- 
rier to free intercourse might be wholly removed. 

week. Since that date one or two dailies have been established. Syra 
had three newspapers, and Patras, Tripolitza, and Chalcis, each one. 
There were also three literary periodicals printed at Athens, with a total 
circulation of about 2000 copies. Now, as the population of Athens is 
estimated at 26,000 or 28,000 inhabitants, it is evident that the list of 
subscribers for each of these fourteen political journals must be very lim- 
ited. We were assured by a prominent publisher that of none were 
there printed more than three or four hundred copies ! Nor is the state- 
ment incredible, taking into consideration the cheapness of manual la- 
bor in the East, and the high subscription price demanded. Most 
Athenians read the papers at the lesche, or coffee-house. 




FOETKES8 OF PHTLB. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

Tele intellectual development of a nation is a subject of in- 
quiry even more interesting than its advance in material pros- 
perity. In both cases, the causes that have given impulse to 
the activity of the people are often imperceptible in themselves, 
or, in the lapse of a few hundred years, have been irrecoverably 
lost sight of Not unfrequently, after centuries of inaction, 
which, had they not been succeeded by a more vivacious pe- 
riod, might be mistaken for entire cessation of life, the popu- 
lar energies have, without any apparent cause, sprung into 
new activity. Such was the fact -respecting that nation, whose 
very name is associated in our minds with all that is brightest 
and most illustrious in remote antiquity. Its political course, 
indeed, brilliant and extraordinary as it was, lasted but a short 
time. Three or four centuries were the limits of its ascend- 
ency ; after which it receded to the rank assigned by its con- 
tracted territory in the vast Roman empire. But for ages 
after its political importance, and even its independence, had 
been . lost, Greece yet held the first place in literature, sci- 
ence, and art. Even this poor consolation, however, was at 
length withdrawn. The wave of barbarism rolled over it, 
and obliterated those marks of ancient greatness which had 
been spared by civil subjugation and oppression. At last the 

O 



814 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

Greeks reached that point of debasement to which we find 
them reduced at the time of the Turkish conquest. Every 
spark of patriotism was extinguished ; and the people passed, 
without seeming to care for the change, from under the yoke 
of the Franks to that of the Turks. Schools of learning were 
nearly unknown. Their decline can be traced back to the age 
of Justinian, upon whose reign, otherwise brilliant, rests the 
reproach of ha\^ing stopped the payment of the sums that for 
a long time had been applied to the support of teachers in the 
various cities of his empire. The means thus obtained were 
spent partly, we are told, in the erection of a new and splendid 
cathedral at Constantinople, to replace one destroyed by fire.* 
Of a revival of learning in Greece, the first symptoms be- 
gan to exhibit themselves in the last century. The very state 
of subjection in which the nation lay, was the occasion of the 
new impulse which both the material interests of the country 
and its learning now received. The Greeks were cut off from 
all hope of enriching themselves through the cultivation of the 
soil, by the continual presence and oppressions of the Turks, 
who, living among the people, were ready at any time to seize 
upon the avails of their industry. The fruits of years of hard 
labor were liable to be plundered in a moment ; and, more 
than that, they were sure to involve the possessor in personal 
danger. The inhabitants of the maritime towns and of the 
islands possessed far greater advantages. The navy of their 
masters was manned almost exclusively by them. They en- 
joyed the right of carrying on commerce under the flags of 
several of the civilized nations of Europe ; and they thus be- 
gan to taste of various immunities, and of partial independ- 
ence. They planted themselves in foreign cities, for the pur- 
pose of carrying on their trade to greater advantage ; and 
many of the commercial houses that originated thus became 
wealthy. Meanwhile, though far from his native home, the 
Greek merchant preserved all his affection for his country, 
and retained the hope of some day returning, and spending his 
old age in comfort, with the wealth he had acquired abroad. 
It was impossible that such constant and intimate intercourse 
with the nations of Western Europe should be without profit 

* Zonaras, iii., 62. 



REMARKS OF LORD BYRON. 315 

to a people who, whatever defects they possess, certainly show 
an extraordinary love for improvement. 

Schools now began to be established in different cities of 
Greece and Asia Minor ; and a high school was to be found 
at Jannina, in Albania. 

The chief teachers of these academies of learning were 
drawn from Mount Athos, or the " Hagion Oros" of the na- 
tives, where some learning began to spread among the thou- 
sands of rich and idle monks who swarmed in the many mon- 
asteries. From schools such as these must have been, it was 
not to be expected that there should arise men remarkable for 
mental culture. Accordingly, among the authors who flour- 
ished up to the end of the last century, we find few or none, 
if we except Meletius, the geographer, who enjoyed a Euro- 
pean reputation. Their scanty literature, as Lord Byron truly 
observed, was almost exclusively confined to works of a relig- 
ious character. His remarks on the causes of this fact are 
just and forcible : " ' Ay, but,' say the generous advocates of 
oppression, who, while they assert the ignorance of the Greeks, 
wish to prevent them from dispelling it ; ' ay, but these are 
mostly, if not all, religious tracts, and consequently good for 
nothing.' Well, and pray what else can they write about ? 
It is pleasant enough to hear a Frank, particularly an En- 
glishman, who may abuse the government of his own coun- 
try, or a Frenchman, who may abuse every government ex- 
cept his own, and who may range at will over every philo- 
sophical, religious, scientific, skeptical, or moral subject, sneer- 
ing at the Greek legends. A Greek must not write on poli- 
tics, and can not touch on science for want of instruction ; if 
he doubts, he is excommunicated and damned; therefore his 
countrymen are not poisoned with modern philosophy ; and 
as to morals, thanks to the Turks ! there are no such things. 
What, then, is left him if he has a turn for scribbling ? Re- 
ligion and holy biography: and it is natural enough that those 
who have so little in this life should look to the next. It is 
no wonder, then, that in a catalogue now before me of fifty- 
five Greek writers, many of whom were lately living, not 
above fifteen should have touched on any thing but religion."* 
* Lord Byron's remarks on the Romaic or Modern Greek Language. 



316 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

The popular literature of the times, if that term may be so 
applied, comprised little more than the poetic legends of the 
saints, and a few paraphrases of Bible stories. Some of these 
are not wholly destitute of merit ; and the quaintness of the 
style adds force to the narrative. "We have seen a thick vol- 
ume of such poems, containing sometimes as many as twelve 
hundred lines, called the " Cathreptes Gynaicon," or Mirror 
for Women. Though in extensive circulation toward the end 
of the last century, it is probable that the authorship of most 
of them dates farther back. To these must be added a large 
number of popular kleftic or banditti songs, as well as a 
few heroic hymns, such as that of Rigas, which were rarely 
committed to writing. 

Commencing our retrospect with the beginning of the pres- 
ent century, our attention is naturally drawn first to Coray, 
at once the father of modern Greek literature, and the most 
distinguished writer it can yet boast of. 

Adamantius Coray, or Coraes, was born at Smyrna, on the 
27th of April, 1748. His father, John Coray, was, however, 
a native of Scio, and his son, in accordance with the notions 
of the Orientals, always considered that island as his father- 
land. The history of his early days has been preserved to us 
in an autobiography, in which, within the compass of a few 
pages, he has attempted to note the more important events of 
his life. Like Franklin, he records mistakes and mishaps, as 
well as successes. He commences with the declaration that 
"whoever would write his own memoirs must note both the 
achievements and failures of his life with such accuracy as 
neither to magnify the former nor underrate the latter. A 
thing," he adds, "most difficult of accomplishment, on account 
of the selfishness and vanity that are implanted in each one 
of us." His father was a man of little education, but of great 
natural acuteness. His maternal grandfather was the most 
learned Greek philologist of his time, and had himself edu- 
cated his four daughters, who were almost the only young- 
ladies in the large city of Smyrna able to read and write. 

Adamantius was early sent to a school recently established 
by a Sciote, which, he informs us, resembled all the other 
schools in Greece at that time ; that is, the master gave very 



YOUTH OF OORAY. 317 

little instruction, accompanied with overmuch chastisement. 
So severe, indeed, was the latter, that his younger brother 
Andrew forsook his studies in disgust, contrary to his par- 
ents' advice. Besides the love of study and emulation, there 
was another motive that induced Adamantius to persevere. I. 
was the provision contained in his grandfather's will, that hit 
library should be adjudged to that one of his grandsons who 
should first leave the school possessed of as much knowledge 
as the teacher liimself. This prize was the occasion of consid- 
erable rivalry between the grandchildren ; but Adamantius 
was the successful candidate. The number of books it con- 
tained was small, but sufficient to convince the young student 
of the utter insignificance of the titles of "Most learned," and 
" Most wise and learned," which at that time were lavished 
upon all, without exception, who knew the declensions of 
nouns and the conjugations of verbs. The limited extent of 
his own acquirements, combined with the extreme difficulty 
of making progress in study in the ilUterate city of Smyrna, 
instead of discouraging him, only roused him to more earnest 
efforts. He finally succeeded in obtaining masters to instruct 
him in Italian and French. These languages he wished to 
acquire, less for any direct advantage that he expected to 
reap from them, than for the assistance they would furnish 
him in the study of Latin. His teachers, he tells us, were 
superior in nothing to his former master, except that they im- 
parted instruction without beating. But it was to his ac- 
quaintance with a Protestant clergyman that Coray used aft- 
erward to attribute, not only the progress he made in litera- 
ture, but the moral principles that formed the basis of his ex- 
cellent character. Bernard Keun, the chaplain of the Dutch 
consul at Smyrna, took interest in the young man, and in- 
structed him in Latin and other languages. His name was 
never mentioned by his scholar but with love. Two years 
vvere subsequently spent by Coray in Holland, as an agent of 
the commercial house with which his father was connected. 

It was not until 1782, when more than thirty-four years 
of age, that Coray succeeded in carrying out a long-cherished 
plan of going to Montpellier, in France, to study medicine — a 
profession best calculated to succeed among the Turks, who 



318 THK MODEKN GKEEK ULTERATUBE. 

were compelled to be respectful at least to their physicians. 
For six years he remained at Montpellier, engaged principally 
in his studies; and in 1787 he commenced his literary career 
by the translation of the Catechism of the Russian monk Plato 
into the modern Greek language, and of several medical treat- 
ises into the French. 

A year later Coray removed to Paris, which thenceforth 
became his permanent home. There almost all his works 
were published, and there he imagined that he could write 
with more freedom than in his native land, oppressed as it 
then was by barbarians, the very sight of whom was intoler- 
able to him. It was at Paris that Coray first acquired repu- 
tation as one of the most excellent Greek scholars of Europe. 
The First Consul, Napoleon, desired that a translation of 
Strabo's Geography should be made into French, with copious 
annotations. This work was intrusted to Coray, in connec- 
tion with two Frenchmen. The first volume was presented 
to the Emperor Napoleon in 1805, and with such favor was 
it received, that, besides the annual appropriation made to 
each of the authors during the continuance of their labors, a 
pension of 2000 francs was conferred upon them for life. At 
the same time, the Emperor made to each of them a present 
of a copy of the splendid and costly work on the Egyptian ex- 
pedition published under his auspices. This translation, to- 
gether with that of Hippocrates, which had been previously 
made, established the reputation of our Greek as a scholar. 

But Coray desired no such empty and unprofitable distinc- 
tions as are acquired by the mere accumulation of knowledge. 
He longed to difiiise its beneficial influence, especially among 
his own countrymen. The difficulty, however, was to deter- 
mine how their interests could be best promoted. The disas- 
trous issue of successive attempts to liberate Greece, and more 
especially the bloody scenes which had occurred but a few 
years before, after the Russian invasion of the Morea, must 
have convinced him of the impracticability, even had he not 
been already persuaded of the inexpediency, of endeavors to 
render his native land independent. He deplored the state of 
ignorance, and intellectual and moral degradation into which 
it had fallen, still more than its weakness and political subjee- 



PUBLICATIONS OF CORAi:. '61 ^ 

tion. The fetters of the tyrant might by some unexpected 
means be broken ; but the chains of ignorance which centuries 
had riveted could not be so easily cast off. 

Coray's first enterprise was to furnish those of his country- 
men who were desirous of learning — and he knew that there 
were many included in this class — with the means of instruct- 
ing themselves. He therefore commenced in 1805 what he 
had long contemplated — the publication of the principal Greek 
authors, with copious notes. The utility of such a series can 
be estimated only by those who consider the rarity of books in 
Greece, and the still greater scarcity of dictionaries, works on 
classical antiquities, and annotated editions. Few presses 
were to be found in the country. All religious works were 
printed at Venice or Vienna, as many of them are to the 
present day. The zeal of Coray, however, would probably 
have fallen short of the accomplishment of his object, had it 
not been seconded by the liberality of the brothers Zosimades, 
rich Greek merchants living in Northern Europe, who furnish- 
ed him with the funds requisite for the publication of his vol- 
umes, until the malevolent intrigues of the superstitious party 
induced them to withdraw their assistance. 

The following works succeeded each other at short inter- 
vals : An edition of Isocrates was the first, and it raised yet 
higher the reputation of Coray as a critic. Next appeared 
Plutarch's Lives, Strabo's Geography, the Politics of Aristotle, 
his Nicomachean Ethics, the Memorabilia of Xenophon, Pla- 
to's Gorgias, and the speech of Lycurgus against Leochares. 
Then came the Strategics of Polysenus and of Onesander, 
oEsop, Xenocrates and Galen, Marcus Aurelius, Plutarch's 
Politics, Epictetus, Arrian, and several others, making in all 
thirty-nine volumes. In some respects the plan of these editions 
is quite peculiar. Each volume is preceded by a preface, now, 
at least, considered a most invaluable portion of the work. 
These prolegomena are partly introductory to the study of 
the author ; and yet are made, at the same time, the vehicle 
for conveying such thoughts as, in the present state of the na- 
tion, the editor thought most likely to prove salutary. Ofteii, 
indeed, their connection wdth the subject of the text is very 
slight ; and, on the whole, the prolegomena must be viewed 



320 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

rather in the light of distinct tracts. Many of the more im- 
portant have been collected and published in separate form. 

Among the most attractive of these prolegomena are the 
series prefixed to the first four books of the Iliad. They are 
devoted to the imaginary history of an illiterate parish priest, 
a character of M^hich, unfortunately, too many specimens are 
yet to be found in Greece. He is represented as officiating in 
his native village of Bolissos, on the island of Scio, which the 
author supposes to be the birth-place of Homer. This priest 
was surnamed Papa Trechas, from the rapidity with which 
he was accustomed to run over the church service — a feat 
upon which he prided himself exceedingly. He used to boast 
of his sixty-four journeys, and hence esteemed himself another 
Ulysses ; from whom he differed only in this respect, that he 
made these visits to the sixty-four hamlets of the island, in- 
stead of the distant seas and regions visited by the Homeric 
wanderer. This furnishes a good opportunity for the exhibi- 
tion of those errors in society which rendered the priesthood of 
the Greek Church, in general, at once the liiost ignorant and 
the most vicious portion of the community. For Papa Tre- 
chas had, in his youth, been so wild and unruly, that a council 
of his relatives had been called to decide what should be done 
with him. Various trades were proposed, but it was evident 
that the lad would not learn any of them. At length the 
wisest of the conclave said, "You see before you an ignorant, 
lazy, thriftless, and most vicious youth, and do you counsel 
to bind him out to some mechanic, as though he were capa- 
ble of learning any trade ? What else can you do with him 
than make him a priest f The proposition was adopted by 
acclamation, every body wondering that the idea had never 
struck him before. And so the boy was set apart for the 
priesthood. But Papa Trechas is a character in many re- 
spects far superior to his fellows. Under his rough exterior is 
hidden a kindly nature ; and his intellect needs only the first 
taste, in order to thirst for learning. The awakening of his 
conscience, and the regrets experienced in looking back on so 
many years of his life worse than wasted, are portrayed in a 
forcible manner. In short. Papa Trechas is a fair example 
both of what the priesthood are, and of what they may become. 



KELIGIOUS VIEWS OF COKAy. 321 

His history exhibits, also, the influence they will exert when 
religion and education have fitted them for their sacred work. 
We have selected this instance from the Prolegomena of Co- 
ray, as illustrating the method he took to enlighten the minds 
of his fellow Greeks on subjects which he thought to be of 
vital importance to their advancement. In his religious opin- 
ions, Coray was far superior to most of those with whom he 
v/as associated. Philosophy had not disturbed his convic- 
tions; but, on the contrary, had strengthened them. When 
the tares of a heathenish superstition were eradicated, the 
pure grain was left to strike its roots unobstructed in a soil 
well adapted for its growth. In his works the subject of re- 
ligion is nowhere avoided, but is ever treated in an honest and 
manly way. After reading his treatises, no one can doubt 
that on almost, if not quite every important doctrine, his be- 
lief coincided with that of the Reformed Churches. It was 
with the object of opening the eyes of the Greeks to the fact 
that their superstitious observances were not an integral part 
of their religion, but a perversion which in the course of ages 
had crept in, that in 1820 he published a translation of the 
remarkable "Advice of Three Bishops to Pope Julius the 
Third."* "The publication of such a work," he informs us, 
^^had for its object the improvement, and at the same time 
the justification, of the Eastern Church. It was impossible 
that long servitude, while it deprived the race of education, 
should not corrupt the clergy, and confuse our religious be- 
lief. AYhatever, and however numerous, may have been the 
sins of the Eastern Christians, they are not to be compared 
with the frightful abuses of the Papal Court ; they are but as 
drops to the ocean. * * * For any one to condemn all the 
Eastern priesthood on account of the luxury of a few Sarda- 
napalus-like bishops at Constantinople, is as if one should 

* This singular production, in the form of a letter of counsel written 
to the pope in 1553, by the three bishops of Brescia, Capri, and Thes- 
salonica, was rescued from oblivion by the diligence of the scholar Llo- 
rente, and first published in his Monumens historiques concernant les deux 
pragmatiqiies-sanctions de France, etc., 1818. Llorente having been chief 
secretary of the Spanish Inquisition, and having had the principal docu- 
ments in his hands, possessed an admirable opportunity of discovering 
the iniquities of the system with which he was connected. 

02 



322 THE MODEKN GREEK LITEKATUKE. 

liken all the laity to the Fanariots of Constantinople."* This 
little work, containing so many thrusts against the Eastern 
Church, under cover of the superstitions of the West, was, as 
may be readily imagined, very obnoxious to the hierarchy. 
Even the well-known fact that Coray was the author of the 
notes (though it was issued anonymously), would scarcely 
have saved it from the fulminations of the " Holy Synod," 
had not his friends managed to postpone the consideration of 
it until too late to arrest its circulation. 

How devoted to his country's prosperity Coray was, we 
have already seen. Yet, strange as it may seem, no one was 
more grieved than he to hear tidings of the commencement of 
the Greek Kevolution. During its continuance, he places the 
following words in the mouth of one of the persons in a dia- 
logue : "They (the instigators of the Revolution) are scarcely 
deserving of. forgiveness ; since, with the blood of many myri- 
ads of men, with the disgrace of unnumbered women, with 
the conversion to Islam of multitudes of young men and maid- 
ens, with the destruction of whole cities, they have purchased 
freedom (or rather an image of freedom), which, after twenty, 
or, at most, thirty years, would have been surely and abso- 
lutely obtained, with incomparably fewer evils."! About the 
same time he thus writes to a friend : 

'' Contostavlos has brought me a sacred relic, a dry twig 
of a plant from the tomb of the founder of American blessed- 
ness, Washington. If our political revolution had been de- 
layed but twenty years more, there would certainly have arisen 
among us also, if not some Washington, at least some diminu- 
tive Washington. But now, my friend, from the particulars 
they write me from Greece, our government is in a deplora- 
ble state. Ambition, covetousness, strife for power, complete 
infatuation, in a word, have taken possession of the heads of 
some few, who would long since have ruined their country 
had it not possessed Marathonian warriors, and an enemy to 
fight against still more stupid than themselves."]: 

Coray lived to see his country freed from the domination of 

* Blog 'A. ^opari, aeTi. 31-2. 

•f UpoTieyoiLieva eig rhg 'Etvckt. ^LarpijBdg, I. 21. 

X '^TTLGTolal 'A. Kopari. I. 92 (April 29, 1827). 



NEOPHYTUS DOUKAS. 823 

the Turks. He died at Paris, in April, 1833, at the advanced 
age of eighty-five years. 

Next, perhaps, to Coray, Neophytus Doukas (or, as the 
name may be anglicized, Ducas) was the best philologist 
among the Greeks. He was a younger man than the former, 
whom he survived about twelve years. Their minds were 
strikingly dissimilar. Both were enthusiastically bent on the 
improvement and elevation of their unfortunate fatherland ; 
but they reasoned differently in respect to the means by which 
this end was to be obtained. Doukas, being a member of the 
clergy, had prejudices, which even liberal culture could not 
wholly eradicate. He perceived that the people had fallen 
much below their ancestors in all that constitutes the well- 
being of a nation ; but he did not trace this as clearly as did 
Coray, to the perversion of the Church from its original char- 
acter and mission. At the same time, Doukas was a blind 
admirer of antiquity. 

In nothing, perhaps, did the two scholars differ more widely 
than in the views they adopted as to the direction that the 
modern language should take. The singular position which 
the Greek tongue occupied a half century ago, and occupies 
still, is this. In the midst of all its corruptions, it had been 
handed down from father to son, with so much resemblance 
to the original, that one might hesitate whether to consider it 
a modem language or a dialect of the ancient Greek. An im- 
mense number of words had been preserved almost unchanged. 
The conjugation of verbs and the declensions of nouns were 
identical, except in those forms which had been simplified or 
omitted, or where the auxiliary verb had been introduced, after 
the manner of the Western tongues. The pronunciation, too, 
whatever doubts were to be entertained as to its conformity 
with the ancient, had adhered with singular fidelity to the sys- 
tem of accentuation : an adherence quite peculiar in such forms, 
for example, as the passive aorists. But to this original ele- 
ment of the language, which was by far the predominating one, 
there had been added a host of foreign words, particularly Latin, 
Italian, and Turkish, with a smaller admixture from the Alba- 
nian and other dialects. Some insist that these words, having 
existed for centuries in the language, have become an integral 



324 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

part of it, and ought not to be ligbtly rejected. These per- 
sons warn the innovators, lest, by casting off such terms of 
foreign origin, they impoverish their mother tongue; while 
they fail to supply their place with others equally expressive, 
and more in accordance with analogy. Besides, they urge, 
and not without a show of reason, that in the course of twen- 
ty centuries elapsed since the commencement of the decline of 
letters in Greece, new ideas have been introduced, and circum- 
stances have so changed, as to require similar alterations in 
the language of the people. It would, of course, be a useless 
task to turn over the pages of a lexicon to find the proper Hel- 
lenic word for a railroad, a steamboat, or a daguerreotype. 

Doukas insisted on a rigid adherence to the ancient lan- 
guage, and struck out every word of foreign origin, or irre- 
ducible to a pure root. A more serious fault was to attempt 
the simultaneous re-introduction of a quantity of tenses, cases, 
and, worse yet, constructions which had fallen into disuse. 
The consequences of such a course are seen in the treatment 
his works have received. Written in a style which is itself 
entirely ancient, the paraphrases accompanying his editions 
of various classical writers are themselves as obscure as the 
original ; and the modern Greek student, who refers to them 
to elucidate some particular passage, finds so much difficulty 
in interpreting them, that he at length prefers contenting him- 
self with the meaning he can extract from the author. His 
notes are valued, but are not read. Yet it must be conceded 
that Doukas was a scholar of merit, and of great learning in 
his particular department. His industry and capacity appear 
more surprising when the fact is recalled that he wrote with- 
out assistance from any European editions ; for it is said 
that he was scarcely acquainted with the Latin, or with any 
of the modern languages besides his own.* 

* The works of Doukas with which we are acquainted'^-besides some 
volumes devoted to rhetoric, logic, physics, and general Uterature — con- 
sist of annotated editions of Sophocles, Euripides, Homer, -^schylus, 
Theocritus, Pindar, Anacreon, and Aristophanes. These editions, mak- 
ing in all twenty-four volumes, lie before us. They were published 
partly at Athens, and the earlier ones at iEgina, where Doukas was en- 
gaged in the instruction of the young. Of these various works we are 
told that about fifteen thousand copies were printed; a great part of 



STYLE OF MODEKN WRITERS. ii'25 

The views of the clear-sighted Coray, in respect to the di- 
rection which the development of the modern Greek language 
should take, were directly opposite to those of Doukas. With 
an ear as quick to the beauties of the classics, he united a bet- 
ter discernment of the difficulties to be encountered in restor- 
ing the common language to its original purity. 

" As descendants of the Greeks, says the despiser of the 
common language, we ought to revive our ancestral tongue. 
That would be very well, assuredly, if we lived in those times 
Avhen the dead were raised, and the gift of tongues was im- 
parted without labor. But miracles do not occur every day."* 

The obstacles that prevent a modern writer from ever at- 
taining a perfectly pure and easy style, if he attempt to write 
like the ancients, seemed to Coray almost, if not quite, insur- 
mountable. And even this difficulty overcome, a still greater 
discouragement presents itself, which we shall introduce in 
the critic's own words : 

" Whoever writes in ancient Greek, after a few years (and 
frequently after a few days), will be forgotten, together with 
his works. And why should he be remembered? Because 
of the subjects on which he writes? But these, in process 
of time, will be more clearly and perfectly treated by our de- 
scendants. On account of his classical phraseology f And 
who is so foolish, or has such an abundance of time, as to 
leave the Homers, the Platos, the Xenophons, the Demos- 
thenes, and so many other wonderful Greek writers, in order 
to read this new Hellenist ? On the other hand, whoever 
exercises himself in the common language, if his industry be 
accompanied with judgment, it is possible that he may attain 
the rank, I do not say of a classic writer, but of those authors 
whom the coming generations will examine, in order to learn 
from them the present condition of the language."! 

His description of an author who is too strict an imitator 
of the ancients is well drawn : 

" Surrounded by lexicographers, by Atticists, by gramma- 
rians of every kind, he writes, erases, rewrites, and again 

which were distributed gratuitously to the public schools and to poor 
students. 

* KopaTJ TlpoleyofiEva, p. 42. + Id., p. 43. 



326 THE MODEKN GHEEK EITEKATUKE. 

erases ; he is in doubt at every phrase, perplexed at every 
period. Now he takes counsel of one friend ; now of another. 
At one time he throws away altogether the happy concep- 
tions of his mind, because he knows not how to give them 
birth in an Attic shape ; and at another he lops them, in or- 
der to make them correspond in length with some ancient 
phrase, the recalling of which he considers a most fortunate 
idea."* 

But while thus ridiculing the thought of writing in "a lan- 
guage which the writer forms, in the first place, from his lexi- 
con, and so gleans from the words and phrases of at least fif- 
teen centuries, that is to say, from fifteen languages," Coray 
by no means advocated the retention of the imperfections and 
corruptions of the language as it is now spoken. On the con- 
trary, he thought that the time for better things had arrived. 

" What I term a reformation of the language, includes not 
only the alteration of different barbarously-formed words and 
constructions, but also the preservation of many others, which 
those who have not examined the nature of the language with 
attention are desirous of banishing from it as barbarous. 
Such a reformation w^as impossible in the time of Eustathius. 
The period of downfall is not the suitable time for rebuilding. 
The householder weeps when he beholds from afar the ruin 
of his dwelling ; and as soon as the tottering walls have fallen, 
and the dust has blown away, he approaches and collects as 
many materials as he can from the ruins, in order to construct 
a new house. The moment, so long desired, for rebuilding, 
has at length arrived. * * * However much the language has 
been corrupted, it still retains many Greek words, and mean- 
ings of words, that one would vainly seek for in the diction- 
aries ; many derivatives, of which only the primitives are 
found in the classics. In a word, it preserves many relics of 
the ancient language — venerable relics, the neglect of which 
has produced so many foolish grammatical rules, so many 
ridiculous etymologies, so many miserable interpretations of 
classical authors, so many ignorant teachers, and what is 
worse, has rendered so irksome the study of the Greek lan- 
guage."! 

* KopuT/ IlpoT^EyofiEva, p. 45. f Id., p. 36, et seq. 



PANAGIOTES SOUTSOtf. 327 

Such were the two schools that arose : the one, headed by 
Doukas, and more recently by G^]conomus, desirous not only 
of restoring the language at once to its pristine purity, by the 
re-introduction of obsolete words, but also of employing the 
involved construction of sentences, which it is quite impossi- 
ble for a modern ear to follow ; the other school proposino- to 
retain what is valuable in the modern language, yet gradually 
to restore it to the nearest practicable resemblance to its an- 
cient form. It must be admitted that Coray sometimes erred 
in complying unnecessarily with popular errors — a defect the 
more conspicuous from the rapid progress which the process 
of purification has since made. Yet modern authors, espe- 
cially those of the greatest reputation, have generally adhered 
to the school of Coray. 

In Greece there has happened the reverse of what usually 
takes place in the progress of a nation toward a higher cul- 
ture and civilization. While prose literature has prospered, 
and great progress has been made in science, poetry, on the 
other hand, has received little attention. Poems, it is true, 
have not been wanting ; but, thus far, modern Greece has pro- 
duced no Homer or Hesiod. 

Panagiotes Soutsos is by many considered the best contem- 
porary poet. The first volume of his " Hapanta," or " Com- 
plete Works," which is all that has yet been published, contains 
three tragedies, entitled " Blachabas," the "Traveler," and the 
"Messiah." The first treats of the resuscitation of the Greek 
race; the second is rather of the nature of a romance, "mel- 
ancholy love being its chief subject." The character of the 
third is sufficiently indicated by its title. The style of these 
three poems is purely Hellenic, though the author has avoided 
the blunder of attempting to introduce the ancient syntax. 
The greatest fault we have to find with Soutsos is the inor- 
dinate vanity that disfigures his preface. In speaking of the 
various metres used in modern Greek, he employs quotations 
from his own poems as examples ; and this may, perhaps, be 
excused on account of the paucity of specimens. But we can 
less easily pardon his egregious self-conceit, when he not only 
compares a number of lines from his tragedy of the "Mes- 
siah" to some of the most famous passages in Homer, and to 



328 THE MODEKN (IKEEK LITEKATURE. 

one of Tasso (which he himself tells us is yet the boast of 
Italy), but even presumes to speak of them as " equally beau- 
tiful."* 

The poems of Alexander Soutsos, brother of the author we 
have just mentioned, are of an entirely different stamp. Of 
iiis works that lie before us, one, entitled the '' Periplanome- 
nos, or Wanderer," is a poem in three parts, and contains 
reminiscences of a journey in Western Europe. Another, 
°' Greece in conflict with the Turks,"t is descriptive, as its ti- 
tle implies, of various scenes in the history of the Revolution. 
A third small collection of poems, " The Panorama of Greece," 
was published in 1833, and was intended as a sort of mirror 
of the political state of the country, and the maladministra- 
tion of the government during the Capodistrian period, as well 
as the condition of society at that time. The fourth is a po- 
litical poem on the Revolution of September, 1843, by which 
the Athenians forced King Otho to grant them the constitu- 
tion so long promised. From the subjects of these poems, the 
character of the composition in which the author delights 
may easily be inferred. His style accommodates itself to the 
matter. Making occasional use of language that is strictly 
Hellenic, he never sacrifices perspicuity to ornament, and will- 
ingly descends to the language of the market for the sake of 
being sprightly and entertaining. His poems, being eminently 
satirical, are read with avidity by all classes; and his songs 
are well calculated for popularity. Alexander Soutsos is at 
present as violently opposed to the government and ministry 
of Otho, as formerly to that of Capo d'lstria. The political 
tendencies of his various writings have rendered them ex- 
tremely offensive to the government, and have on several oc- 
casions brought upon him no little trouble. Three or four 
years since, the police of Athens, having learned by some es- 
pionage that a political work of his was in the hands of the 
printer, seized both the printed sheets and the manuscript. 
This, of course, was done in utter defiance of that article of 
the constitution which guarantees the freedom of the press ; 
for, even had the author been amenable to a charge of libel or 

* T^f avTTjg (j^paioTriTog sTrr] are his words : UpoTioyoc elc rd. "ATravra 
11. I,ovTaov, p. 19. t 'H TovpKOfxaxog ''E.'X'kdg. 



KANGABES CHPJSTOPOULOS. ^29 

treason on the publication of his poem, yet the laws of Greece 
provide no punishment for the writer until that moment, nor 
do they sanction the confiscation of his work. 

There are few Greek poets of so great reputation as A. 
Sangabes, who is also well known as an elegant prose writer, 
and as professor of archaeology in the University of Athens. 
We have read with considerable interest a dramatic poem of 
his, entitled '' Phrosyne," referring to incidents in the history 
of Ali Pasha, of Epirus, at first the determined enemy of the 
liberties of Greece, which he was afterward, though unwill- 
ingly, instrumental in advancing. This production, it is true, 
is irregular in its composition, and extends to the immoderate 
length of four or five thousand lines, occupying more than 
half of a good-sized volume. But the "Phrosyne" is gener- 
ally lively and interesting — the more so because the author 
chose a subject that acquires a romantic charm, from its asso- 
ciation with the recovery of Greek freedom ; while it is re- 
cent enough to be within the memory of the present genera- 
tion. How far the loving character attributed to Mouctares, 
the Pasha's son, may be reconcilable with his subsequent 
bloody career, is open to some question. The poetical works 
of Rangabes have been collected in a couple of volumes, pub- 
lished at Athens in the years 1837 and 1840. 

We have not space to say much of Salomos, whose poems 
have been highly commended, or of some of the younger poets, 
such as Coumanoudes, who have come more recently before 
the public. We can not, however, forbear mentioning the 
name of Athanasius Christopoulos, a more ancient author. 
This writer may be styled with truth a new Anacreon. We 
scarcely know whether his productions should be classed with 
the literature of modern Greece ; for they are found rather in 
the mouths of the people, and in collections of popular songs, 
than in books. Confining himself almost exclusively to lyrical 
composition, he excelled immeasurably all his competitors. 
There is no pompous aflfectation of learning in his poems, but, 
written in language that all understand, and yet displeasing 
to none, they exhibit a pleasing freshness and simplicity. 
" His verses," to use the language of one of his fellow-poets, 
•' inspired in the midst of flowery meads, and written by soft 



380 JCHE MODEKN GKEEK LITEKATUEE. 

murmuring rivulets, have the fragrance of the rose and the 
myrtle, and glide naturally as streams of water."* Christo- 
poulos has avoided the mistake into which a poet in his cir- 
cumstances would be most likely to fall — we mean a servile 
imitation of the ancients, and a consequent degree of con- 
straint. In this respect we know no other modern Greek 
poet who compares with him. His beautiful address to the 
sun is as pleasing to us for its naivete^ as almost any of the 
odes of Anacreon, some of which it resembles. This poem, 
and an ode to a nightingale, remind us of the song in Ten- 
nyson's " Princess," beginning with the words, " Oh, swal- 
low, swallow, flying, flying south." 

But we must leave the poets, and pay some attention to a 
few of the principal contemporary prose writers. The first 
place among these, in virtue of seniority, and a long sustained 
reputation, we give to Neophytus Bambas, the late venerable 
Professor of Rhetoric in the University of Athens. He was a 
man some seventy years of age, of small stature, with a benevo- 
lent face, and exceedingly agreeable manners. " A monk by pro- 
fession, he had few of the prejudices which disgrace that class 
in Greece ; and received with cordiality every foreigner who 
came recommended to him as a friend to truth or to letters. 
His extensive learning, acquired partly in his native island of 
Scio, but perfected at Paris, pointed him out as a suitable 
person for undertaking the version of the Bible in modern 
Greek ; and this task was confided to him by the British and 
Foreign Bible Society. The translation, which he accom- 
plished with the assistance of two fellow-laborers, is acknowl- 
edged to possess great merit, and has been scattered far and 
wide over the country. Adhering, as it does, with fidelity to 
the Hebrew original, it varies in many places from the text 
of the Septuagint — a circumstance which the clergy have not 
failed, in many cases, to use as a handle for hindering the peo- 
ple from reading it. The style of the translation is very cred- 
itable, but the translators have not hesitated, where circum- 

* Alexander Soutsos, in his poetical 'Ett^otoa^ irpbg fSaai/iEa 'Q.dcova, 
1. 29, et seq. He informs us that Christopoulos was a Fanariote, a na- 
tive of Constantinople, and consequently brought up in the midst of 
Byzantine luxury and folly. 

\ 



tkamslatio:n of the bibi.e. 831 

stances required it, to sacrifice elegance to perspicuity. Such, 
however, have been the gigantic strides with which the lan- 
guage has advanced, during even the short space of ten or 
twelve years, that a new translation has become necessary. 
Considerable alterations have been made in the recent edi- 
tions. This, indeed, is the case with all books of a popular 
kind.* 

It is a fact of no common importance, and one that will 
be learned with pleasure by all well-wishers of Greece, that 
within a few months the Bible translated into the vernacular 
tongue has been made a text-book in all the public schools. 
The ministerial order which makes provision for its introduc- 
tion, also requires that all the teachers shall henceforth attend 
at least one course of lectures of Professor Contogones of the 
Theological School of the University, on the subject of Her- 
meneutics. Greece owes this decree to the enlightened states- 
manship of Mr. Psyllas. 

Among the Greeks, Bambas is better known as a professor 
of distinguished talent, and as the author of several works on 
the Elements of Philosophy, Ethics, and Rhetoric, and of sev- 
eral Greek grammars. One of these contains a comparative 
view of the ancient and modern forms, and seems written in 
a truly philosophical manner. It would be very useful to any 
scholar who wishes to study the similarities and differences 
in the two languages. One of the most important works of 
Bambas is his volume of notes on several of the orations of 
Demosthenes, which are of an exegetical and historical nature. 

It is to be regretted that the learned professor of late years 
attached himself more and more to the Russian or Nap^an 
party, which is hostile to the reformation of the Church, and 
opposed to constitutional government, while it is willing to 

* To instance but one out of many changes. Of all the variations 
of the modern dialect from the ancient, probably the most singular is 
the entire disuse of the infinitive mood, except in tenses formed by 
means of the auxiliary verb. The anomaly arose from the introduction 
of the subjunctive mood preceded by a conjunction, in places where the 
infinitive was more proper. In most cases of this kind, the new edition 
of the Bible in modern Greek has restored the ancient forms, which 
are assuredly well understood by Athenian readers, though less intelligi- 
ble to the inhabitants of the provinces. 



o32 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

sacrifice every thing to the advancement of the national am- 
bition. The weight of Bambas has thus been lost to the 
cause which at present needs the advocacy of every patriotic 
scholar. In the recent excitement at Athens among the stu- 
dents of the University, we understand that his pen was em- 
ployed in inciting the people to the invasion of Turkish ter- 
ritory. 

Professor Asopius, who occupies a chair of the Greek lan- 
guage in the University, is at present considered the best phi- 
lologist at Athens. He is the author of several works on 
Syntax and on Classical Antiquities. In the thoroughness 
and variety of his acquirements, he resembles the lamented 
Coray ; and he has been instrumental in counteracting, to 
some degree, the loose principles of morality which some pro- 
fessors, as well as the priesthood, have been engaged in prop- 
agating. 

Among scholars, A. Radinos, now holding, we believe, a 
professorship in the Gymnasium of Patras, is much esteemed 
for his version of Herodotus, which stands high in public esti- 
mation, both for its accuracy and for the correctness of the 
style. The explanatory notes, also, are valuable for their 
clearness and ability. 

To the department of antiquities, the investigation of the 
numerous ruins with which the country is studded, and the 
determination of ancient sites, the Greek mind has not yet 
applied itself with vigor and success. Up to the present mo- 
ment, the best-informed archaeologists and topographers have 
been foreigners: among whom Colonel Leake, the English- 
man, stands pre-eminent. Few can be found in the coun- 
try who have any tolerable knowledge of a branch of study 
which might be supposed to offer the greatest facilities for at- 
taining distinction. At the same time, the government pre- 
tends to be most studiously careful of the ruins that remain, 
and has enacted severe penal laws against the exportation of 
ancient works of art ; while the people manifest a patriotic 
indignation toward Lord Elgin, the spoiler of the sculptures 
of the Parthenon. Something has been done in the study of 
antiquities. Mr. Pittakes, who has devoted his life to this 
subject, has published all the inscriptions to be found about 



IIISTOKICAL WOltKri. 333 

the capital, together with much antiquarian information, in a 
book entitled "L'Ancienne Athenes," and recently a more 
extensive work on the same subject. An Archaeological So- 
ciety has been established, having the same objects in view, 
and by its publications has contributed to enlarge our ac- 
quaintance with the ancient world. Its recent researches are 
unusually interesting. A certain plot of ground, along the 
base of the northern side of the Athenian Acropolis, was found 
to contain some inscriptions, from the tenor of which it came 
to be suspected that the senate-house, on whose walls the ta- 
bles of laws were suspended, was situated there. Means were 
found by the society to purchase the ground, and to prosecute 
the excavations. The result has been the discovery of several 
interesting inscriptions, of which the most entire is a copy of 
a treaty of alliance, made in the year 378 B.C., between the 
Athenians and several of the islands, against Sparta. It af- 
fords a striking confirmation of the 'historical accuracy of Dio- 
dorus, who mentions the circumstance and the conditions of 
the treaty.* Similar investigations, if prosecuted with the 
requisite energy, would undoubtedly disclose records even more 
important. 

To history greater attention has been paid than to archaeol- 
ogy. But historical taste and accuracy are of slow growth 
in themselves, and require the possession of large and costly 
libraries. The distinguished historians of our own continent 
have been obliged to resort, for some of their most valuable 
sources, to the public libraries and archives of England, Spain, 
and Holland. It is not remarkable, then, that Greek writers, 
who, until within ten years, have had few opportunities of 
consulting even the most indispensable works, have not ac- 
complished much in historical literature. They have, in fact, 
confined themselves to translating or compiling from the his- 
tories of their own ancestors, written by Goldsmith and Grote."|" 
To modern history, and especially to that of their own revolu- 
tionary struggle, they have made more considerable contribu- 
tions ; but these have taken the form of personal narratives, 

* Diod. XV., 27. 

t Groldsmith's history is the ordinary text-book in aU the common 
schools of the kingdom. 



334 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

or contemporary chronicles, rather than of dignified history. 
They are not the less important, however, on this account. 
By their means, whoever will attempt to write a connected 
history of the Greek Revolution, will be furnished with ample 
materials. That event is yet too recent to be viewed with 
impartiality by a native, still less by one who was himself an 
actor in its scenes. Even a foreigner would need the utmost 
discrimination to discern the good from the evil, and to decide 
how far the Greek nation has disappointed any just expecta- 
tions of progress in civilization and intelligence. 

The "Memoirs of the Revolution," by Germanos, arch- 
bishop of Patras, are among the most authentic of the his- 
torical sketches that have yet appeared, but they embrace 
merely the first three years of the war. This prelate was one 
of the conspirators who met at the Monastery of Hagia Laura, 
near Calavryta, and was the first to raise the standard of re- 
bellion — a fact that invests his account of the earlier events 
with considerable interest. He died in 1825, on his return 
from the West, whither he had been sent on a political mission. 
It was not until 1837 that the work of Germanos was pub- 
lished, under the editorial supervision of Kastorches, who as- 
sures us that it is given to the public precisely as it came 
from the hands of the author. Of the same class is the work 
commenced by Speliades, of which one large volume was pub- 
lished four years ago. A number of pamphlets have been 
written on the " Heteria" of conspirators, to whose efforts the 
outbreak of the Revolution was in part attributable. Mr. 
Tricoupes, the Greek minister at the court of St. James, has 
recently published a work which will probably afford to for- 
eign readers the most reliable account of the war. We can 
speak of its merits only from the general commendation with 
which it has been received.* 

There is another period, to which it seems remarkable that 
the learned men of Greece have not paid more attention. The 
age of Miltiades, Themistocles, and Cimon, was certainly the 
most glorious epoch of Greek history. It has long occupied 

* All the constitutions and other official papers of Greece, from 1821 
to 1832, have been collected in a few volumes by A. Z. Mamoukas, and 
constitute the documentary history of the Kevolution. 



MEDIJEVAL HISTORY. 335 

the attention, and engrossed the study, of distinguished men 
throughout Europe; and nothing but merit of the highest 
order can hope to win laurels among so many competitors. 
Meanwhile, the history of medieval Greece, or, to speak more 
accurately, of Greece from the time of its subjugation by the 
Romans, has until the present time been deemed unworthy 
of the merest epitome. And this neglect has, unfortunately, 
been intentional, arising from the prejudice entertained against 
the Middle Ages. The Greeks of the present day are keenly 
sensitive to the imputation of descent, not from Hellenus and 
Cecrops, but from a horde of Sclavonian settlers, who, it is 
said, took possession of their country during its ages of bar- 
barism, precisely as the Albanians — a branch of the same 
stock — seized upon whole villages, both in Northern Greece 
and the Morea, within the last hundred and fifty years. They 
repel the charge, and regard its supporters with mingled in- 
dignation and contempt. The first place in their resentment 
is undoubtedly held by the German professor, Fallmerayer, 
who, not without display of learning and ability, endeavored 
to prove that the modern Greeks are descended from the 
Goths and other barbarians, and that the ancient race has 
entirely disappeared from the face of the earth. A theory so 
startling, carrying with it so slight an air of probability, called 
forth numerous "refutations" and "answers" from the Athe- 
nian press. Of course, no definite conclusion has been reached, 
by the admission of both parties ; but, while it were useless to 
deny that an admixture of a Sclavonic element has been intro- 
duced by successive colonizations and wars, it is yet more ab- 
surd to suppose that the greater part of the nation is not of 
Hellenic origin. Excepting the immediate investigation which 
this discussion has elicited, no attention has been paid to this 
interesting portion of their history by native writers. It has 
been abandoned almost exclusively to the distinguished histo- 
rians, Buchon and Finlay.* 

* M. Buchon, besides republishing the chronicle of the Frank con- 
([uest of the Morea, is the author of the " Nouvelles Eecherches sur la 
i*rincipaute rran9aise de Moree/' and other writings on the same sub- 
ject. "La Grece Continentale et la Moree," by the same author, is one 
of the best books of travels in Greece that we have seen. Mr. Finlay'g 



o3G THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

But while broad and inviting fields of investigation have 
been neglected, the Greeks have not been wholly unmindful 
of the glory to be acquired in some studies which have lately 
become popular in Western Europe. We refer to the ex- 
amination of the treasures of literature, so long locked up in 
the Eastern languages. A young Athenian, who had already 
distinguished himself by his acquirements, resolved, in the 
year 1786, to leave the city of Constantinople for Calcutta, 
whither he had been invited, in order to instruct the children 
of some Greek merchants residing there. The opportunities 
thus afforded were not lost upon the studious youth ; and be- 
sides the English, he acquired a good knowledge of the San- 
scrit, Persian, and Hindoostanee. In the course of a few years 
more, Demetrius Galanos — such was his name — had obtained, 
by his assiduous labors, a competency, enabling him to devote 
himself entirely to the study of the Oriental languages. Hav- 
ing deposited his small fortune in the hands of some trust- 
worthy merchants, he set off for the holy city of Benares. 
There he clothed himself like a Brahmin, as his biographer 
assures us, " and following their customs, and associating with 
the most holy and learned of their wise men, in the space of 
about forty years he not only acquired an extensive knowledge 
of Indian philology, but also was initiated by the most ap- 
proved teachers into their highest theology. He made such 
attainments in their virtue and wisdom, as to be regarded by 
the English colonists, and the other Europeans, as well as by 
the most pious Brahmins and Indians generally, as a most 
holy and learned man." Whether by this language our bio- 
grapher intends it to be understood that Galanos, while so- 
journing among the Brahmins, renounced Christianity, and 
feigned adherence to their creed, does not appear. At all 
events, during the time spent at Benares, he devoted himself 
in part to translating some Brahminical works. At his death, 
which occurred at that place in 1833, in the seventy-second 
year of his age, he left nearly half his estate, or about six 

well-known "Greece under the Eomans," "Mediaeval Greece," etc., 
form a continnous history of the country, from the fall of Corinth to the 
end of the last independent duchy, to be concluded by a history of the 
e;ubjugation by the Turks and of the late Kevolution. 



A GREEK BOOK IN KOMAN CHARACTERS. 337 

thousand dollars, to the principal academy of learning at 
Athens,* and also bequeathed to it all his manuscripts. The 
funds were employed in erecting the building of the University 
of Athens, where his manuscripts are preserved, the greater 
part of them having been pubHshed under the editorial super- 
vision of Mr. Typaldos, the librarian, in six octavo volumes. 
They consist of translations of various poems, and collections 
of wise and moral sayings, some of which, according to the 
assertion of learned Europeans, were previously unknown in 
Europe, and were published for the first time through the 
Greek version. The accuracy of these translations is, we be- 
lieve, undoubted ; and if the originals are new to the literary 
world, the accomplishment of this work is an achievement 
highly creditable to the philology of young Greece. It is, 
however, hardly to be expected that any but domestic subjects 
should generally possess much interest for the Greeks, who 
can find in the investigation of their own annals, and those of 
their ancestors, and in the advancement of science and art in 
their own country, a more appropriate work for the present. 

The novel attempt was made in the last century, by some 
members of the Society of Jesus, to introduce into the East 
the use of Roman letters in place of the old Greek character. 
The only book printed on this plan, so far as we know, is one 
that appeared first in 1746, and was republished at Constan- 
tinople in 1843. It is entitled " The Rest of the Heart in the 
Holy Will of God, hy Father Thomas Stanislas Velasti, of the 
Society of Jesus; a treatise compiled from the works of Father 
JRodriquez of the same Society.''^ In this singular volume, other- 
wise offering little entertainment to the foreign reader, every 
analogy of the language has been neglected; and one unac- 
customed to the modern Greek pronunciation will frequently 
be sadly perplexed in attempting to recognize under their 
strange disguise even the more common words. It is hardly 

* Mad. la Comtesse de Gasparin, in her Voyage au Levant, i., p. 208, 
speaks of Galanos as a priest, and as having died at Athens. Whereas 
his biographer, Mr. Typaldos, expressly tells us that his uncle, then 
member of the Holy Synod of Constantinople, having proposed that he 
should enter the priesthood, he refused on account of his zeal for let- 
ters (p. 14). Galanos died at Benares, where there is a monument, 
with an Enghsh inscription, standing over his grave (p. 30), 

P 



338 THE MODERN GKEEK LITERATUKE. 

necessary to add, that so absurd an innovation has found little 
favor with either the learned or the illiterate ; and the book is 
regarded, by those w^ho are aware of its existence, merely as a 
curiosity of literature. 

The discussions arising from the ecclesiastical state of 
Greece, have been the occasion of the publication of a work 
by Pharmakides, which possesses more than ordinary interest. 
The circumstances that called it forth have been detailed on a 
previous page. This fearless author does not confine himself 
to a simple refutation of the dangerous principles contained in 
the " Tome" of the Holy Synod of Constantinople. He boldly 
attacks the whole system of prelacy, and declares the hierarchy 
to be the gradual outgrowth of the ambition and servility 
which early invaded the Church. "The mode of govern- 
ment," he says, " instituted in the Church by the holy apostles 
was democratic, and sacred history so acknowledges it. The 
churches gradually tended to form a community of federal, 
equal churches, independent of the secular power. * * After 
the death of the democratic disciples of Christ, political equality 
was for a while maintained between the numerous churches ; 
and notwithstanding that there were enrolled in this federal 
league rich and populous cities, yet each formed, until the 
fourth century, an equal church, and consequently the bishops 
were all equal. But finally the episcopal hierarchy appeared, 
and in due time Popes and Patriarchs. From democracy, the 
Church passed to aristocracy.'''' Again he observes, speaking 
of the primitive ages : 

"At that time there existed no Archbishops, Exarchs, 
Patriarchs, or Popes. Every church, whether under the pas- 
toral care of a bishop and elder or elders, or of an elder or 
elders only, was independent, and governed itself. The sub- 
jection of one church to another was unheard of. None had 
power over another. But equality and fraternity are not 
pleasing to human pride and ambition. Accordingly, the prim- 
itive democratic government was overthrown, and an aristoc- 
racy established in its stead.'' 

The extracts we have given may suffice to indicate the gen- 
eral character of the work, which, in fact, does not relate so 
much to the doctrines as to the government of the Church. 



GROWING TASTE FOK LETTERS. 339 

Its influence upon the public mind at the time was sudden 
and powerful. The whole edition of two thousand copies was 
exhausted in four or five weeks, and the strength of its argu- 
ments may be inferred no less from the violence of the oppo- 
site party, than from the satisfaction of the liberals. The 
" tome" has been abandoned, and nothing more is now heard 
about the scheme of union. The style of Pharmakides is 
good, but, like that of many of the theological writers of the 
present day, somewhat patristic. His mind is vigorous, and 
his mode of thinking original. With most of his countrymen, 
he is much attached to his native land, and to the religion of 
his forefathers ; which he reveres, not only as a divine revela- 
tion, but as a bond of concord between the now dissevered 
branches of the Greek race, and as the potent means of effect- 
ing their political union. 

With reference to works of fiction, we do not know that 
any thing worthy of mention has issued from the Athenian 
press. The public are, however, abundantly supplied with 
translations of all the principal French novels, such as those 
of Eugene Sue, Dumas, and others of the same class. Less 
taste has been manifested for the classic works of Sir Walter 
Scott ; and we doubt if any of Cooper's tales have ever ap- 
peared in Grreek dress. 

Before closing this brief surve}'' of the progress of modern 
Greek literature, we can not forbear noting the marked influ- 
ence which the judicial department, the bar, and the learned 
professions generally, have exercised over the rising taste for 
letters. In the term learned ijrofessions it is not intended to 
include the clerg}^ Whatever progress has been made in 
Greece has received but little assistance from them ; though 
it must be allowed that this circumstance has been owing to 
their ignorance, rather than to any settled purpose of retard- 
ing the regeneration of their country. Some noble exceptions, 
too, will be found even among those whom we have men- 
tioned. In jurisprudence, the greater part of the codes of 
laws have been drawn from those of the French, and, as we 
conceive, very unfortunately in some cases, as, for instance, 
those treating of religious liberty and toleration. The law 
terms have been borrowed, so far as practicable, from those 



340 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

that were in use in the Athenian courts two thousand years 
ago ; and the legal nomenclature is quite intelligible to a 
classical scholar. The courts, rejecting technical words of for- 
eign origin, have materially contributed to the restoration of 
the ancient language. Talents of a high order have already 
been exhibited at the bar of Athens. Indeed, the Greek mind 
seems to be peculiarly suited to excel in the legal profession. 
Acuteness, vivacity, and energy it possesses in a high degree ; 
and we would recommend to the curious the perusal of the 
speeches of the counsel in the several trials of Dr. King, and 
in that of the followers of Kaires, as favorable examples of 
forensic eloquence. We must not fail to allude more particu- 
larly to the defence made by Mr. Saripolos in the latter case, 
valuable not less for its eloquence than for its classic purity ; 
and more interesting as containing a noble assertion of the 
great doctrine of religious liberty, both in respect to faith and 
worship. The first verdict in favor of the points contended 
for* was the result of this eloquent defence. 

The University has, however, accomplished" even more than 

* Kaires, a native of Andros, and a well-known friend to education, 
was, after a protracted struggle between his disciples and the fanatical 
party, tried by the Criminal Court of Syra, upon the accusation of hav- 
ing publicly taught atheistic doctrines. He was found guilty^ and, with 
three of his followers, was thrown into prison, whence he made his ap- 
peal to the court of the Areopagus at Athens. Barely a week before the 
trial of the appeal, Kaires died in his cell, of a disease contracted in the 
loathsome building in which he was confined. The appeal was tried in 
behalf of the three remaining appellants. We transcribe the first para- 
graph of the speech of Mr, Saripolos on this occasion, which may serve 
the curious as a specimen of the ordinary language used in the courts 
at Athens : 

'O Katprjg aizedave, Kal uTtedavev dduog. '£2f irphg avrov Karripy^dri ij 
dtKr/ dwdjiEi Tov vojuov. 'A/l/L' ottolov fisya juddrjjua edcoKe Tcpbg ttjv em- 
yetov 6iKatoGvvT]v avTog 6 Qebc KaTieaag evutclov tov uva/napriJTov 6cKa- 
CTTjpiov TOV TOV QsofiTiov Katp7]vl 'O "TiptGTog OLOVEL sKKaMaag evuTtLov 
kavTov Trjv Sckt/v (hg Tcpbg tov KaTriyoprjdivTa enl alpecLapxio, Qe6(j)i?iov 
Katpriv, dneSei^e Trpocpavuc;, otl at TOtavTat dtKaL vireKcpevyovot ttjv dpfiodi- 
oTTiTa TzavTog ETViyeiov, TzavTog k^ dv6pd)7ro}v GvyK£KpoT7ijuevov dtKaaTrjpiov. 
Udaa KaTtl tov "TipiaTov TrpoajSoX?) vrcb fiovov tov 'TipcGTov dpjUoSiog ekSi- 
Kd^ETac • TovTO St, 6l6tl fiovog 6 "TipioTog elvat fj avTa/i-?j6eca, tj avTodiKai- 
0GVV7]. Movog 6 "TiptGTog 6 Itu^uv vovv koI KapSlav, juovog avTog 6 tjjv 
dTiTJdetav dKpijSiog ytvuGKUv, fiovog avTog Tieyo, Elvat Kal 6tKaaT?)g eki tuv 
d'KOK'keLaTt.KCig iv6ta<j>ep6vTCiv avTov ^rjTrjfiaTuv. 



GEEEK LEXICOGRAPHY. ^41 

the bench or the bar in advancing the cause of science. The 
professors, being men of talents, many of whom have been 
educated in Western Europe, exert a strong influence upon 
the hundreds of students who daily congregate within their 
lecture-rooms ; and through their instrumentality, more than 
through any other, the language has attained a degree of pu- 
rity much higher than would have been deemed possible thirty 
years since. So that now, even among the common people of 
Athens, quite a diiferent idiom is employed from that in use 
elsewhere. 

We conclude by mentioning the principal dictionaries to 
be found in modern Greek : both to exhibit the point which 
lexicography has reached, and to indicate the facilities afford- 
ed for the study of a language and literature just beginning to 
attract, among western scholars, the attention which they 
merit. Among the lexicons for the study of the ancient 
Greek, the foremost rank is held by that of the Archiman- 
drite Gazes, republished at Vienna in 1835, with numerous 
additions and emendations, drawn principally from the lexi- 
cons of Passow and others. It consists of three large quarto 
volumes, and contains a copious supplement of proper names. 
The various articles are exceedingly full ; the meanings suffi- 
ciently numerous ; and the examples cited abundant, and, m 
general, well selected. It is a convenient work for one who 
wishes to compare the variations of the modern language 
from the ancient. Smaller lexicons have been published by 
Koumas, and lately by Scarlatus Byzantinus, which are less 
fully illustrated by examples. We can do no more than enu- 
merate a few of the dictionaries of the modern languages and 
the modern Greek. The Rev. Mr. Lowndes published many 
years ago, at Malta, an English-Greek and also a Greek-En- 
glish lexicon. But besides being antiquated, they are meagre 
and defective ; and when a word has many distinct significa- 
tions, it is rare that all, or nearly all, are enumerated. Many 
words, too, in both languages, are altogether omitted. For 
the more common words of conversation, however, these works 
will be found very useful. A very good English-Greek lex- 
icon was published in 1854, by George Polymeres, at Her- 
mopolis, on the island of Syra. Although written especially 



342 THE MODERN GREEK LITERATURE. 

to meet the wants of Greeks studying the English, it is a 
valuable manual for the acquisition of the Greek language. 
The Greek-French lexicon of Scarlatus Byzantinus is the 
most complete, as far as relates to the higher Greek especial- 
ly ; and hence it supplies the deficiencies of that of Lowndes. 
The French-Greek dictionary of Rangabes, Samourcases, and 
Nicolaides Lebadeus, is constructed upon the basis of that of 
the French Academy ; it is, probably, the most satisfactory of 
the whole series. But in order to learn many of the words 
used by the people, and which rarely find their way into print, 
except in the collections of proverbs or popular songs, one 
must have recourse to more ancient works, such as the "Lex- 
icon Triglosson," published some fifty or sixty years since. 
Even with the aid of this, the meaning of a popular word or 
phrase will often be sought in vain. This difficulty is en- 
hanced by the differences of dialect prevailing in the several 
districts. It can be overcome only by the assistance of the 
oral explanations of a native. But an Athenian can by no 
means understand all the terms occurring in a Laconian la- 
ment or a Thessalian song. This, it will be remembered, is 
only true of the popular ballads. 

The brief and necessarily imperfect view that we have taken 
of the present literature of Greece, may perhaps lead some to 
a more just appreciation of the richness of its contents. Its 
progress, we do not hesitate to say, has been unparalleled, if 
the short period during which the nation has had a political 
existence, and the difficulties, both moral and physical, at- 
tending every step of improvement, be taken into account. 
Twenty-five years of repose, after a war almost of extermina- 
tion — and these years, too, disquieted by intestine commotion 
and foreign interference — are surely not a long period to allow 
for the regeneration of Greece, after the degrading influence 
of twenty centuries of subjection. An impartial mind will be 
rather surprised at the extent of what has been done, than 
disappointed at the failure of some perhaps too sanguine ex- 
pectations. 




■^'S-. 



THE STRAITS OF SALAMIS. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

BALLAD POETRY. 

" Eeligious, Martial, or Civil ditties ; which, if wise men and prophets 
be not extremely out, have a great power over disposition and manners, 
to smoothe and make them gentle from rustic harshness and distem- 
pered passions." Milton o?i Education. 

A FORCIBLE writer has somewhere characterized the rich 
baUads of Spain as " IHads without a Homer." The descrip- 
tion is no less appropriate to those of modern Greece. No- 
where have warlike deeds been more frequent ; nowhere have 
they been better appreciated. Under a poetic disguise is con- 
veyed a faithful transcript of the social history of its popula- 
tion. Here we are to look for traces of ancient customs, and 
for superstitions half extinct. From the popular poetry of 
any nation we can judge with certainty of the prevailing- 
tastes, and the grade of civilization. For in the ballad the 
individuality of the author is merged in the mass of those who 
appropriate not only his sentiments, but his expressions. The 
poet is merely the spokesman of the people ; and the popu- 
larity of his production is a proof that it is consonant with 
their way of thinking. But the songs of Greece possess an 
additional claim to interest, in the fact that they contain the 
only record of many incidents of her history for several cen- 
turies preceding the hour of her resuscitation. An oppressed 
race naturally resorts to them to express without restraint the 



344 BALLAD POETRY. 

story of its sufferings, and to recount the exploits of its brave 
champions that foreshadow a coming deliverance. Unfortu- 
nately the record is but fragile, rarely or never committed to 
writing, and scarce outliving the generation that gave it birth. 
Twenty or thirty years is the ordinary span of even the most 
widely-known ballad. The valorous deeds or the misfortunes 
of a new hero engross the sympathies of all ; and his no less 
noted predecessor must give way before his rising renown. 
Thus, doubtless, have a thousand fragments of historic lore 
been forever lost to the world. A writer,* through whose in- 
strumentality attention was first drawn to modern Greek bal- 
lads, supposes that of near one hundred and fifty specimens 
contained in his collection, but one can be as old as the end 
of the sixteenth century, and that has been preserved ever 
since in writing. The others are handed down orally ; and 
the most ancient ascertained is about one hundred and fifty 
years old. The majority relate to occurrences at the end of 
the last and the commencement of the present century. 

The popular songs of Greece may be arranged in several 
distinct categories. The first comprises the large and varied 
class of Heroic or Kief tic poems, in which the adventures of 
the klefts are related at length, and with a general adherence 
to strict accuracy of fact, except in certain portions, which 
contain a conventional form of exaggeration. These pieces 
are the most interesting in a merely historical point of view. 
Next comes the class of Romantic poems, peculiar for the 
most part to the islands, where the imagination has received 
a different tinge, from contact with the Western European 
mind. More curious than these are those songs compqsed for 
special domestic events, forming in the minds of the people an 
essential accompaniment to the celebration of the marriage 
rite, or sung in mournful strains over the corpses of the dead. 
The former are, for the most part, handed down from genera- 
tion to generation, with little deviation from a stereotype form, 
in each particular district. The latter have little in common, 
and are the spontaneous offspring of a lively imagination, ex- 
cited by the sad emotions of the occasion. 

* C. Faiiriel, Chants JPopuhires de la Grece Modeme (Paris, 1824), 
p. 99. 



PRINCIPLES OF GREEK POETRY. '645 

Before entering upon a more particular notice of these 
classes of poems, it is important to understand the principles 
on which they are composed. It is admitted by all that the 
rhythm of the Greek language has undergone a very consider- 
able, if not a total, metamorphosis. The distinction between 
long and short syllables, which was the basis of the ancient 
poetry, having, Math the lapse of ages, been completely lost 
in the common pronunciation, a new principle of versification 
was introduced, conforming to the highly scientific arrange- 
ment of the accents with which the language was provided. 
Who was the first to adapt himself to the alteration, it is, 
perhaps, too late to ascertain. In the middle of the twelfth 
century almost all poetical works were so written, even though 
their language might be completely ancient in character. The 
verse in most common use is the heroic, composed of fifteen 
syllables, and divided into two hemistichs, the former con- 
sisting of eight, and the latter of seven syllables. The funda- 
mental foot is the iambus ; and, consequently, the accent falls 
generally upon the even syllables. Some variation from this, 
however, is allowed; and trochees frequently appear, espe- 
cially in the commencement of either half line. The principal 
accents must fall on either the sixth or the eighth syllable of 
the first, and on the sixth of the second hemistich. This is 
the metre employed in almost all kleftic songs, and in many of 
the lyrical productions. There are a variety of other metres 
more or less commonly used. 

To appreciate that extensive collection of ballads which re- 
late to the warlike exploits of the klefts, it is indispensable 
to have some acquaintance with their adventurous tempera- 
ment and insecure mode of life. As the name — changed, by 
a mere aspiration, from the classic word for robber — sufii- 
ciently indicates, the klefts were a class of freebooters, support- 
ing themselves by forced contributions levied upon the villages 
of the districts they infested. But their deeds of rapine did 
not subject them to that weight of indignation which so law- 
less a course of life might naturally call forth, as they were 
regarded in the light of a political party rather than as rob- 
bers and outlaws. Young men who could not endure the re- 
strictions they suffered at home, and longed for freedom and 

P2 



346 BALLAD POETRY. 

repose ; men in the prime of life, who through a succession of 
years had been the victims of oppression, and whom some 
outrageous act of arbitrary violence had rendered impatient 
of the yoke they had been meekly bearing : such were the ma- 
terials from which Colocotroni, Liakos, and others formed 
their invincible bands. There were men of all ages, ranks, and 
conditions ; but one feeling animated them all, and that was 
hatred to the Turks, and to those who patiently submitted to 
their tyranny. Retiring to the mountains, they led, under 
the generalship of some experienced captain, a life of inde- 
pendence, subject, nevertheless, to the greatest hardships and 
privations. Safety, or an opportunity of plunder, frequently 
necessitated the execution of marches of surprising length and 
difficulty. At times the stock of provisions was almost ex- 
hausted, and the Jdeft was compelled to put up with the scan- 
tiest fare, and subsist on the roots of such wild plants as would 
satisfy his hunger. But then, again, the elders of a village pre- 
sented large sums, and furnished provisions to the band, to 
secure immunity from plunder. Occasionally, too, some rich 
bashaw fell into their hands, and was not released until he 
had paid a heavy ransom. The Greeks were generally ex- 
empted from these levies, except when want pressed heavily. 
The monks, however, were, from their indolence and wealth, 
special objects of dislike ; and the klefts were not slow in turn- 
ing to their own use the accumulated stores of the monastery ; 
while the parish priest was rarely incommoded, farther than 
being forced to read prayers, or say the last offices for their 
dead. 

At length, tired of the constant annoyance which a band of 
resolute men could inflict upon their provinces,' the Pashas 
would send proposals of peace, and engage- to employ the 
klefts as a body of hired troops. With the change of occupa- 
tion, their name was changed to Armatoloi, or militia-men. 
An opportunity was now affi^rded the Turks of compassing 
by treachery the destruction of their new and formidable allies. 
It was rarely lost. Those who escaped the massacre of their 
chiefs, joined by fresh recruits, were soon again wild klefts 
upon the mountains, inflicting deeper wounds upon their ene- 
mies, and animated by hatred yet more deadly against the 



SL'BJECTS OF THE BALLADS. 347 

Turks. This alternation from resistance to peace, and from 
peace again to rapine and plunder, was of continual recurrence 
in the western and northern portions of Greece, where the 
klefts were most numerous. The plains of Thessaly and Epirus 
suffered most from their ravages. Mount Olympus and Kis- 
sabos (the ancient Ossa) are frequently mentioned in the bal- 
lads as the head-quarters of these bands. 

Such were the klefts, whose history might furnish matter 
for a volume of romantic interest. Regarded less in the light 
of robbers than as brave opposers of Turkish tyranny and 
champions of Greek independence, their praises were in the 
mouths of those even who were too timid to imitate their 
valor. To confound the klefts of the period anterior to the 
Revolution with the class that now infest some portions of 
Greece, would be entirely to mistake their character, the prin- 
ciples for which they contended, and their importance in a 
historical point of view. 

The ballads rarely contain a reference to more than a sin- 
gle incident in the life of a brave. It may be a signal vic- 
tory gained over a vastly superior force of the enemy ; or 
some almost miraculous escape from their hands. More fre- 
quently the entire poem is a poetic lament over the disastrous 
fate of the warrior-chief, who has fallen into the snare set for 
him by a wily Pasha, or by the treacherous elders of some 
village, who would court favor with the ruler by surrendering 
into his hands the klefts that have taken refuge in their midst. 
One relates the fortunes of a brave named Diakos, who has 
seen all his men cut down about him, and, after losing both 
gun and sword, has fallen alive into the enemy's hands. Al- 
though life and promotion are promised him, if he will but 
apostatize, he chooses to be impaled, rather than deny his 
faith and the religion of his forefathers. 

From the great abundance of kleftic ballads, it is scarcely 
possible to select any that will convey a correct notion of their 
general character ; and the difficulty is yet more sensibly felt, 
when the attempt is made to render into foreign prose the 
flowing verses of one of the most sonorous of modern lan- 
guages. The following poem I have chosen, to give an idea 
of the generality, less for any peculiar merit than because of 



348 BAI.LAD POETEY. 

its brevity. It is the lament of a wounded chief, who feels 
that his end is fast approaching : 

"The Sun is setting, and Demetrius commands his men : 

* Go, my braves, to the water, that ye may eat bread this night ; 
And thou, Lamprakes, dear nephew, sit near me here. 

Put on my arms, and see that thou do them honor. 

And ye, my braves, take my poor sword ; 

Cut me green boughs, and spread them for my bed. 

Bring me a priest to hear all my confession, 

That I may tell him all my sins that I have done. 

Thirty years an Armatolos, and five-and-tvventy a Kleft ; 

And now Death has come to me, and I must die. 

Make my tomb wide, and let it be high ; 

That I may stand erect to fight, and have room to load. 

And on the right side do you leave a window ; 

That the swallows may come to bring the spring. 

And the dear nightingales warble in the good month of May.' "* 

The following is a record of the death of Theodore Metros : 

" In the hall of Theodore, at the palace of Metros, 
Much people is gathered ; many are assembled together. 

* Is not a marriage taking place, or is it a festival ?' . 
Neither is it a marriage nor a festival : 

But Metros is ill, grievously, and like to die. 

Physicians come and go ; but of cure there is none. 

His comrades weep for him, and weeps his sister ; 

His mother weeps for him, and his sad father too. 

*Dost thou wish for man*iage, Metros, that I may give thee a wife?* 

* I wish no marriage, mother. Stoop, that I may kiss thee. 
Care for my children, my poor boys. 

Bring me my dear sword, mother, that I may kiss it ; 

And bring my gun, that I may bid it farewell. 

Charon has betrothed me, he has betrothed me : 

He has given me the stone for a mother-in-law, the monument for 

wife; 
And the worms themselves for brothers and cousins.' " 

A striking peculiarity of this species of poetry is the abund- 
ant employment oi parallelisms ; the second clause being fre- 
quently a counterpart of the first, though it may convey the 
same idea in a somewhat varied dress. No less remarkable 
is the structure of the introduction to the ballad. Some- 
times all Nature, by a forcible hyperbole, is represented as 
plunged in mourning at the disaster that has befallen the 

* In the collection of popular ballads by Zambelius, No 13, p. 607. 



KLEFTIC SONGS. '649 

hero. *' Wherefore do the mountains grow black, and the 
meadows wither away?" exclaims the bard as he commences 
his narration. Or else a bird may be represented as singing, 
from the wall of some adjoining fortress, the funeral dirge of 
the Hefts. Often, as in the following piece, the auditor is sup- 
posed to break forth in an inquiry as to the cause of the fear- 
ful sound that is heard afar; in answering which the poet 
gives an account of the battle, where the Greeks are fight- 
ing against fearful odds. It is worthy of special note that 
many such phrases are conventional expressions, appearing 
in numerous songs, and designed to call the hearer's atten- 
tion, and lead, in a natural manner, to the subject of the 
ballad. 

" ' What can be the sound that is heard, and the great tumult ! 
Are not bullocks being slain, or is it beasts that roar?' 
'Neither are bullocks being slain, nor is it beasts that roar: 
Boucovallas is engaged in fight with fifteen hundred men, 
In the midst of Kerasobos, and in Keenouria. 
The balls fall like rain ; they fall like hail.' 
And a fair maiden cried from out the window : 
' Cease, John, from battle, cause the firing to stop, 
That the dust may settle, that it may be clear. 
That thy band may be numbered, to see how many are lacking,' 
The Turks are numbered thrice, and there lack five hundred ; 
The kleft boys are numbered, and three braves are missing. 
One went for water, and another to bring bread ; 
The third and best stands at his gun."* 

The fact that these kleftic songs are not confined to one 
locality, but disseminated far from the mountainous districts 
that gave them birth, is due to the ^' panegyris" public festi- 
vals and fairs, at which great multitudes from the surround- 
ing country gather, not only for purposes of trade, but also for 
recreation. Dances abound on these occasions ; and crowds 
gather around the blind musicians, who sing the ballads they 
have composed themselves, or learned from others. These per- 
ambulating musicians perform the part of the ancient rhapso- 
dists, and, being possessed of extraordinary memories, the num- 
ber of pieces which they can recite and sing is quite remark- 
able. For each of these poems they compose a new tune; 

* Song of John Boucovallas, in the collection of Zambelius, No. 39, 
p. 629. 



350 BALLAD POETRY. 

and when it meets with a good reception, they are well re- 
warded for their pains. It is said that a minstrel, who was 
likewise possessed 6f considerable talent as an improvisatore, 
was in a few years enabled to lay by so large a sum as to set- 
tle down at his ease at Ampelakia, in Thessaly. The only 
accompaniment to the voice is a sort of lyre, with but two 
or three strings. 

The day of the true Mefts has probably passed away for- 
ever. In the Revolution they contributed not a little to the 
deliverance of their country. Those who had been the leaders 
of a few desperadoes, became the captains of large detach- 
ments of troops capable of meeting and repulsing the Turkish 
armies. Being thoroughly acquainted with the country, and 
inured from long experience to all the labors and difficulties 
of a guerrilla warfare, they were formidable opponents on a 
soil so mountainous as that of Greece. Since the Revolution, 
many of the more distinguished chiefs have risen to honora- 
ble posts under the government, while the rest have resumed 
more peaceable occupations. As the exploits of the hlefts 
have now ceased, it must necessarily follow that this branch 
of the popular literature, which has been devoted to them, 
will become extinct, or undergo at least very essential modi- 
fications. Even now, among the collections of kleftic poems, 
there are to be found many that relate properly to revolu- 
tionary heroes, though framed upon the model of the more 
ancient class of ballads. 

Turning to the peaceful plains and villages, we find in their 
songs a perceptible resemblance to those of former times. 
Athenasus and other ancient authors tell us that the return 
of the swallow was hailed by the Greeks as the harbinger of 
spring. Special hymns were composed in its honor; and 
those who sang them claimed a slight present from their au-. 
ditors. A similar practice still obtains. On the first day of 
March, troops of children may be seen tripping forth from the 
village school-house in holiday attire, and carrying a branch 
or rod, on which a rough wooden figure of a swallow is 
perched. At every door the juvenile procession stops, to sing 
a welcome to the swallow, whose coming they represent as 
introducing joy into the household, and hastening the festiv- 



SONGS ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS. 351 

ities of Easter. From the praises of the swallow, they next 
turn to beg a present of money or eggs, some for themselves, 
and the greater part for their master.* 

On St. Basil's day, the first of the new year, similar parties 
of children wander from house to house. On this occasion 
their songs are not unlike those of the first of March. They 
consist chiefly of addresses to the family, each one of whom 
receives the honor of a separate song ; and they conclude with 
an ode to St. Basil. In lyric pieces of this description but 
slight literary merit may be expected. Naturalness and a 
striking similarity to the popular songs of the ancients, as far 
as they have come down to us, are often combined with great 
homeliness of diction. 

How much poetry connects itself with the most ordinary 
occurrences of life, is evident from the multitude of poems 
framed for such occasions. \Yhen, for instance, a peasant in- 
tends to leave his native place, whether his departure be final, 
or merely for a time, he invites his friends to partake with him 
of a farewell meal. During the feast, or at its conclusion, his 
departure is made the burden of song; some of the guests 
describing in general terms the bitterness of separation, while 
others enter with minuteness into the circumstances of the 
present case. These regrets are generally thrown into poetic 
shape on the spur of the occasion. Other farewell songs are 
recited in mournful tones, as the traveler is accompanied by 
his friends and neighbors to the limits of the town. 

The nuptial customs, so complicated and yet so picturesque, 
differing in every district, yet invariable there, furnish a copi- 
ous subject for the rustic muse. There are verses for the 
maidens to sing when they sit grinding the flour for the wed- 
ding-cakes ; others when they sift it ; and still others when 
they knead and bake. Snatches of poetry are sung by the 
youths as they help to attire the groom, and by the maidens 

* A specimen of these modern songs may be compared with one of 
the ancient ones still extant ; both are contained in a pamphlet entitled 
"A Eefutation of those that have thought, written, and pubhshed, that 
none of those who now inhabit Greece are descended from the ancient 
Greeks, by Anastasius G. Leucias." Athens, 1843. (In Latin and 
Greek, p. 110.) 



352 BALLAD POETRY. 

that wait on the bride. Every part of the marriage ceremony 
is thus viewed in a poetic light.f 

It would be difficult to find a more curious class of lyric 
poems than the moerologia, or laments sung over the corpses 
of the dead. Unlike the verses repeated at nuptial festivities, 
which are nearly always of a stereotype form, the moerologia are 
the spontaneous product of the imagination in each particular 
case. The name seems to mean a lament over the fate of an 
individual. When the body of the deceased has been decently 
laid out upon a bed, ready to be carried to its last resting- 
place, the relatives and friends assemble round the lifeless 
remains, to take a last farewell of what they lately held so 
dear. Now they pour out their vain regrets. But the moero- 
logia are not mere expressions of feeling; they are chiefly 
made up of a history of the departed. If it be a woman, the 
survivors relate her fortunes, and dwell upon her beauty, her 
virtues, or her wealth. If a man, they celebrate his strength 
and courage, and the stratagems or treachery of his enemy. 
The wife not unfrequently reverts to the time of her betrothal, 
and tells the story of her married life. In one, when a hus- 
band had been basely murdered by those whom he had enter- 
tained under his own roof, the indignant widow exclaims: 
"Fire and poison may that bread and wine become which 
they ate and drank ; for instead of bread they gave him a 
ball, and the wine became like powder." 

In this recital, the faults of the dead are not unfrequently 
set forth as prominently as his excellences. The speakers 
are mostly of the female sex, while the men are passive spec- 
tators. Some women have enjoyed a great reputation for 
their wonderful facility in this sort of improvising. The 
heartless practice of hiring mourners is, however, I believe, 
confined to Asiatic Greece. Yet it is no uncommon occur- 
rence for a perfect stranger to step into the sad circle of 
friends, and, addressing the corpse as if he could hear, beg 
him to carry some message to departed friends. The tidings 
thus intrusted to the soul, which, it is imagined, has not yet 

* In a pamphlet giving an account of the forms accompanying the 
marriage rite, I find no less than twenty-six pieces of poetry, to be re- 
peated at as many different stages of the ceremony. 



PREVALENT SUPERSTITIONS. 35{\ 

commenced its journey to the nether world, relate to those 
matters which here interested it most — to family events, or to 
the success or reverses of domestic feuds. So important has 
the recital of the moerologia come to be regarded, that in some 
places, when a person has died in a foreign land, these songs 
are addressed to a figure that personates him, extended on a 
funeral bed. 

Of a character entirely different are the religious poems, in 
which the most striking historical passages of Holy Writ are 
represented in dramatic form. The " Mirror for Women" is a 
thick volume containing a large number of these pieces, where- 
in various Scriptural characters are held up as models for im- 
itation, or as warnings to the female sex. More celebrated 
than any of these is the "Sacrifice of Abraham" — a drama, 
as has been truly remarked, " full of touches of most natural 
pathos." The style is easy, and the language makes no pre- 
tension to classic elegance. It is, indeed, just such a compo- 
sition as the most illiterate can read with entertainment and 
profit. Although written no later, certainly, than the last 
century, it has retained its hold on the people, and has been 
reprinted within a few years. 

In this brief description of some of the kinds of popular 
poetry, allusion has been made to prevalent superstitions 
whose existence they indicate. There are others equally cu- 
rious. Charon no longer appears as the ancient ferryman of 
the Styx ; but has usurped the place of Mercury, and figures 
as conductor of the dead. Every object, both animate and in- 
animate, is supposed to be guarded by a spirit. The plague is 
personified as a blind old woman, groping along the sides of 
walls. The small-pox, that fearful curse of the poor man's 
hovel, is represented as a fury : but the same fear that led the 
ancients to forbear uttering words of ill omen, lest they should 
provoke the ire of evil spirits, induces the modern peasant to 
call her " eulogia" — the blessing. 

It is a noteworthy fact that, while the attention of the 
modern Greeks has naturally been bestowed mainly on those 
treasures of ancient lore which constitute their lawful patri- 
mony, it has not been altogether withdrawn from their own 
popular ballads, in which so much of recent history, and of 



oo4 BALLAD POETRY. 

customs that are fast becoming extinct, is recorded. Mr. 
Fauriel's work, in the French language, was the first to 
awaken general interest on the subject. His preliminary re- 
marks upon the habits of the klefts, and the nature of the bal- 
lads relating to their exploits, are as yet unsurpassed. Since 
then there have been published numerous collections, and now 
not a year passes without fresh additions to this interesting 
department of literature.* 

* Four collections of ballads are before me, published in Athens alone, 
between 1835 and 1848 ; and there are doubtless many more. A young 
writer, Mr. Lelekos, commenced in 1852 a serial containing a consider- 
able number of interesting pieces connected with the manners and cus- 
toms of the people. More recently, a native of Laconia, in a pamphlet 
of 40 pages, published a metrical description of his country written at 
the close of the 1 8th century, and ten interesting mcerologia, a species of 
poetry which, from its ephemeral character, has until now seldom found 
its way into print. Perhaps the best collection of kleftic songs is to be 
found in the "Demotic Songs" of S. Zampehos of Corfu, who has pre- 
fixed six hundred pages of learned disquisition on the state of the Greek 
race in the Middle Ages. 




HOUSE OF JONAS KING, D.D. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



THE TRIAL OF DR. KING. 

Friday, the 5th of March (New Style) 1852, was the day 
set for the trial of Dr. King, before the Criminal Court of 
Athens, on the charge of reviling the Creek Church. The 
incessant clamors of the newspaper .^on, the organ of the 
Russian party, had finally induced the king's attorney to insti- 
tute a prosecution against the foreign missionary : and the op- 
ponents of religious liberty already exulted in view of their 
approaching triumph. On the preceding day, a friend of Dr. 
King had brought to him a small printed hand-bill, which, he 
said, was being industriously circulated through the city, and 
posted along the streets, with the evident purpose of inciting 
the people to acts of violence toward Dr. King. It read as 
follows : 

" To-morrow, Friday, the 22d of February (Old Style), the 
famous false apostle, Jonas King^ will at last be tried before 



356 TRIAL OF DK. KING. 

the Criminal Court of Athens. Accordingly, as many Christ- 
loving people as desire to be present at this curious trial may 
attend the said court at ten o'clock A.M., and hear the false 
apostle convicted of the foolish babblings he has uttered against 
the Mother of God, the Saints, the Images, and, in a word, 
all the Sacraments, Doctrines, and Traditions of our Holy 
Church." 

In consequence of this notice, a demand was made of the 
police for additional protection on the day of the trial. The 
first token of the requisition was the appearance of a detach- 
ment of four police-officers at the gate of the Consulate early 
on Friday morning. They had come to attend and protect Dr. 
King on his way to the court-room. After a short season of 
prayer with his family, he expressed his readiness to go. I 
walked with him, while his young son followed, under the 
care of the faithful man-servant, old Barba Constantinos. 
Two of the most prominent lawyers of Athens had been re- 
tained as counsel. We took the house of one of them on our 
way. Mr. Pelicas was waiting to escort us." He was a small 
man, with fine features and an intellectual countenance, es- 
teemed to be one of the most upright members of the Athenian 
bar, and at this time professor of law, and Prytanis (or Presi- 
dent) of the University of Otho. 

The king's attorney had proposed to Mr. Pelicas that Dr. 
King should wait at his house until sent for ; but the mis- 
sionary determined to be present, at all events, at the appoint- 
ed time. The Criminal Court held its sessions in an old 
building at the corner of Athena Street and a small lane. 
The lane, from which access was gained by a broad flight of 
steps to the court-room, was already crowded with old and 
young ; but no disturbance occurred on our arrival. The 
chief of police, who was rather friendly to Dr. King, had de- 
tached a number of policemen, armed with musket and bay- 
onet ; and presently that individual came in person. The 
more fanatical part of the assemblage had already found their 
way into the court-room, and were impatiently awaiting the 
process. The space allotted to the audience was crowded to 
its utmost capacity, and here and there appeared the black 
coat and cap of a priest. 



THE COURT-ROOM. 357 

By the courtesy of some officials, I was permitted to take 
a seat within the bar, in a position whence I could see and 
hear every thing that was said and done. It was a curious 
spectacle, that array of animated faces that crowded the 
farther end of the room, all intent on hearing the trial of one 
of the most interesting and important cases that had ever 
come up for decision before a Grecian tribunal. 

The judges chosen to try the accused appeared very punc- 
tually, entering the court-room from a small chamber in the 
rear. As the accusation related not to a crime, but to an of- 
fence of secondary grade, the legislation of Greece, in imita- 
tion of the French practice, makes the bench sole judges both 
of the law and of the fact. Trial by jury is only resorted to 
in cases of murder, treason, and other felonious deeds. The 
five judges, Messrs Nicolopoulus, Papaspirides, Kallisperes, 
Boniseres, and (Economides, took their seats on a platform 
facing the audience : the first-named, as president, occupying 
the middle seat. At opposite ends of the table before them, 
and on the same platform, sat Mr. Typaldus, the attorney 
general, and Mr. Matakides, the clerk. 

The first duty of the clerk was to call over the names of 
the witnesses. The prosecution had cited twelve witnesses, of 
whom nine answered to their names ; and the defence twen- 
ty-one, out of whom only ten ventured to appear — a striking 
disparity, which tended to show how strong was the fear of 
popular or priestly violence entertained by those who should 
have borne testimony to the good character of the defendant. 
Dr. King perceived that there was no ground for expecting 
any more favorable occasion, and readily consented to the 
proposal of the attorney general, that both sides should mutu- 
ally abandon the absentees. The trial accordingly proceeded. 

I have stated that the accusation against Dr. King was 
that he had, in public discourse, during the years 1850 and 
1851, reviled the Greek religion. To this was originally 
added the utterly gratuitous accusation of reviling religion in 
general. But the Areopagus, on appeal, had judged the lat- 
ter imputation too ridiculous to be sustained, and had ordered 
its erasure. It was, therefore, to prove the former part of the 
indictment alone that the witnesses were summoned. 



358 TRIAL OF DR. KING. 

It would be tedious to describe, or even enumerate, the va- 
rious witnesses, as they were successively brought up to the 
open space in front of the president, and sworn. They mere- 
ly repeated what they had previously testified in the secret 
inquest, which always precedes the finding of a bill of indict- 
ment. In the main, the testimony seemed to be true ; but a 
Protestant would have found it difficult to imagine in what 
respect the language attributed to Dr. King was objectiona- 
ble, or tended in the least to constitute a reviling of the Greek 
Church : unless, indeed, it be reviling to state personal opin- 
ions when they happen to be diametrically opposed to those 
of an auditor. In short, the testimony proved only that Dr. 
King held the doctrines generally received by the religious 
communion to which he belonged in America. 

The witnesses were nearly all young men. Some were 
students in the medical school, and others candidates for the 
priesthood. Besides the usual animation that characterizes 
the Greek, they seemed moved by strong partisan feeling. I 
remember, in particular, a youth called Kyriakoules, whose 
expressions of enmity against the defendant were so strong, 
that the presiding judge himself was obliged to interrupt him, 
and exclaim, "You are here as a witness, not as an accuser!" 
He held in his hand a paper, from which he attempted sev- 
eral times to read extracts ; but desisted on being told that 
his business was merely to answer the questions put to him. 
Persons who stood near him when he was not testifying have 
assured me that he was armed with a dagger, and that he in- 
cited the boys around him to hoot when any thing favorable 
to Dr. King was elicited. 

A lawyer would have noticed one striking peculiarity in 
the testimony, as well as in the indictment. Although sev- 
eral of the witnesses pretended to have heard Dr. King use 
language disrespectful to the Greek religion, they never men- 
tioned the exact words, nor specified the time or occasion of 
their utterance. Hence the defence was utterly unable to 
bring proof that such language had never been made use of, 
since no witness could depose any thing more than that no 
abuse had been indulged in upon the occasions when he was 
present. No testimony, however, was more flagrantly unfair 



SPEECH OF THE KING'S ATTOKNEY. 359 

than that of a half-crazed old man, who was permitted to 
give in his evidence against Dr. King, although, by his own 
confession, he had not entered the missionary's house for seven 
years. Yet the term stated in the indictment embraced only 
the years 1850 and 1851 ! 

In the examination of the witnesses, the president of the 
court displayed the most obvious prepossession in favor of the 
testimony adverse to Dr. King, and of those who so testified, 
whether their evidence was pertinent or not. On the other 
hand, he seemed determined to browbeat the numerous and 
respectable witnesses for the defence — a course which, com- 
bined with the tumultuous applause, or the equally pro- 
nounced disapproval of the audience, to a great extent en- 
couraged by the supineness of the court, disturbed not a little 
the self-possession of the witnesses. The presiding judge even 
went so far as to reprimand one of the criers of the court for 
ordering some noisy priests to be silent, and deprived him for 
that day of the badge of office. 

The king's attorney now rose, and argued the case for an 
hour and a half, or two hours. In order to prove that the 
accused was guilty of reviling the Greek religion during the 
two years mentioned in the indictment, he brought forward 
some books written by Dr. King, and showed what his creed 
was. One of these, entitled "A Defence," was published 
many years since; and the other, "An Exposition of an Apos- 
tolic Church," was published in the United States. He did 
not attempt to prove that these pamphlets were written 
by Dr. King; but taking this for granted, he inferred, from 
passages which the court permitted him to read, that Dr. 
King believed, and therefore taught, doctrines at variance 
with the standards of the Orthodox Church. And this, he 
maintained, constituted the crime of reviling the Greek relig- 
ion, as contemplated in the law. 

At the end of the lengthy theological discourse of the king's 
attorney, Mr. Triantaphyllos, one of Dr. King's lawyers, be- 
gan by alluding to the contrast presented by the scene now 
witnessed with that beheld twenty-three years before, when 
his client had come, intrusted by the liberality of the Ameri- 
can people, with provisions to feed the famishing Greeks. He 



360 TKIAL OF DK. KING. 

then proceeded to answer the arguments of the king's attorney ; 
and said that that officer had wrongly sought to introduce a 
religious discussion. (Here he was interrupted by the court, 
and told to abstain from such language — as if the king's at- 
torney were a privileged character.) If such a discussion were 
to come off, Dr. King should have employed Protestant coun- 
sel to defend his religious tenets. In conclusion, he urged 
that, by the constitution and laws of Greece, religious tolera- 
tion and the right of discussion were guaranteed. 

Mr. Pelicas followed, with a clear and logical speech, in 
which he exhibited the inapplicability of the law to the case 
of Dr. King. The mere expression of opinions adverse to 
those of the Greek Church could not fairly be construed as a 
reviling of, or even an indication of malevolence toward, that 
Church ; much less as an insult to religion in general — an ac- 
cusation which the king's attorney had sought illegally to re- 
introduce into the indictment, and for which not a particle of 
evidence had been shown. 

When the king's attorney had made a brief rejoinder. Dr. 
King arose, holding some docmnents in his hands, and wished 
to say a few words in his own defence. The papers contained 
proof that the prosecution was of the nature of a conspiracy 
against him, and that some of the witnesses were principals 
in the plot. The judges had already risen, and were about to 
retire. Mr. Nicolopoulus said that opportunity had already 
been given to the defendant to speak ; but that he might, if 
he chose, hand in the documents that he held, and the court 
would take them into consideration. Dr. King stated some 
facts in explanation of their contents; and then, seeing the 
uselessness of attempting to convince an impatient court, 
handed the papers to the president, and sat down. The 
judges, most of whom had remained standing, immediately 
left the room, to confer as to their verdict. 

About half an hour elapsed before the door opened, and the 
judges resumed their seats. Mr. Nicolopoulus proceeded to 
pronounce a decision, which was afterward reduced to writ- 
ing, with considerable alterations. In the court-room, it was 
stated that the accused was found guilty of reviling the Greek 
Church : in the recorded verdict, that his offence was the 



SENTENCE PRONOUNCED. S61 

less heinous one of using malevolent expressions against it. 
Only two such expressions are singled out from all the mass 
of testimony, and from the articles of the indictment, as the 
ground of the finding of the court. This is what the court 
says : " The calling the Mother of God simply a woman, 
and affirming that she bare also other children, and saying 
that the Communion, that is, the body and blood of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, is bread and wine, are incontestably malevolent 
expressions." 

The defendant being thus found guilty, the king's attorney 
moved that he be sentenced to three months' imprisonment, 
according to the law in this case provided ; and that, on the 
expiration of that term, he be banished from the country, in 
accordance with another article, as a person convicted of a 
crime, and " pre-eminently dangerous to the common safety 
and to morals, by his manner of life, character, and conduct." 
The defendant's counsel opposed the motion, averring that the 
latter portion of the penalty was utterly unsuitable, since there 
was nothing in the history of the defendant that rendered him 
obnoxious to any of these charges. 

The court now retired a second time, and shortly returned. 
They sentenced ^'the said Jonas King, convicted as aforesaid, 
to fifteen days' imprisonment, to the costs of the trial, and the 
duty on the stamps, to be collected by the committal of his 
person," and ordered " his exile from the territory of Greece, 
after the execution of the sentence of imprisonment."* 

Thus was concluded this judicial farce. The judges, who 
had come instructed to convict Dr. King, withdrew, and the 
audience, who had come to see him convicted, after expressing 
their joy by prolonged applause, hastened down to the street 
to see the missionary carried away to prison. The king's at- 
torney, however, who, as it subsequently appeared, was in no 

* One of the judges that sat on this trial, with whom I had some 
slight acquaintance, was in the habit of saying that he wholly disap- 
proved of the verdict and sentence, and that he had voted against their 
adoption in the private deliberations of the court. Since, however, he 
manifested no disapprobation of the extraordinary conduct of the pre- 
siding judge, and did not exercise his right of withholding his signa- 
ture from the record, I am at a loss to know how much credit is due to 
the assertion, 

Q 



362 TKIAI. OF DR. KING. 

hurry to incarcerate Dr. King, at once acceded to the request 
of his lawyers, that he might be permitted to return to his 
house, in order to make preparations for his imprisonment and 
exile. A large mob had meanwhile collected around the build- 
ing. The friendly officer, to whose interest in Dr. King the 
detachment of so many policemen had been due, begged us to 
tarry until the tumultuous crowd dispersed, lest it should un- 
dertake to commit some violence. Accordingly, we remained 
a while in the deserted court-room ; but the people below 
showed no sign of retiring. Finally, it was thought best to 
lead Dr. King by a private passage, and through an unoccupied 
shop, to the front of the building, on Athena Street, where a 
carriage was in waiting. The officer entered it with us ; a 
couple of armed policemen mounted the carriage — one taking 
his seat on the box, and the other standing up behind. The 
fanatical mob that lingered about the entrance on the lane, 
seeing themselves thus outwitted, ran toward the carriage 
with loud yells, but were driven back at the point of the bay- 
onet by some soldiers stationed in the vicinity* 

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday passed, but no order was 
sent for Dr. King's arrest. The design of the king's attorney 
then became evident. No one can appeal from the decision 
of the Criminal Court unless his exceptions are filed within 
five days after the rendering of the verdict, and unless the 
prisoner is undergoing the infliction of his sentence. It was 
the policy of the State to defer Dr. King's imprisonment until 
the expiration of these five days, in order to preclude an ap- 
peal. Had he allowed himself to be thus beguiled, his negli- 
gence would have furnished a specious pretext for refusing re- 
dress. Strange as it may seem, the missionary was thus com- 
pelled to demand the partial execution of his own sentence. 
After a confinement of a few hours in the loathsome Medrese, 
of which I have elsewhere spoken, he was taken to the police- 
office, where he underweht imprisonment until he fell sick and 
was carried home. The expulsion of Dr. King being the real 
object of the prosecution, nobody cared for his incarceration, 
and nothing would have been more pleasant to the govern- 
ment than to hear that he had escaped of his own ac.cord. 

Seventeen days elapsed before the appeal came up for dis- 



OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 36S 

cussion in the Areopagus, the Supreme Court of Greece. 
That tribucral can only review the points of law contained in 
the record ; and it was on these that exceptions were taken. 
The highest court was called on to pronounce whether the 
mere statement of opinions at variance with the doctrines of 
the Greek Church constituted a malevolent expression against 
that Church, and whether such an offence rendered a man dan- 
gerous to the common safety and to morals. The Areopagus, 
in manifest violation of common sense and equity, replied that 
the Criminal Court was competent to decide as to what were 
malevolent expressions, and what rendered a man dangerous 
to society. At the same time, it reversed all that part of the 
verdict which found Dr. King guilty of reviling religion in gen- 
eral. It is difficult to perceive where the court drew the line 
of demarcation between its own jurisdiction and that of the 
Criminal Court. Instead of ordering a new trial, the Areopa- 
gus affirmed the sentence of the lower court, with the trivial 
alteration of the term of confinement from fifteen to fourteen 
days. 

Dr. King was now at the mercy of the government. As a 
last resource, he drew up, in his character of Consular Agent 
of the United States, a protest " against the unjust decisions of 
the Criminal Court of Athens and of the Areopagus, and 
against any execution whatever of them." This he forward- 
ed at once to Mr. Paicos, Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was 
probably this movement that arrested the hands of the Greek 
government. The possible interest of the American nation 
in the sufferings of its distant citizen had never entered the 
heads of those who were so eager to drive the missionary away. 
But whatever may have been the cause. Dr. King was allowed 
to remain unmolested in his own house until the arrival of the 
American vessels of war. 

Meanwhile the public press of Athens was loud in its con- 
demnation of the whole of this fanatical affair : stigmatizing it 
as unjust and ill-timed ; as a violation of the sacred right of 
religious liberty guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws 
of the realm. "The introduction of this case into court," said 
one paper, " was, in our opinion, a foolish measure, for relig- 
ious discussions can not be carried on in a tribunal of justice. 



364 TKIAL OF DR. KING. 

But when the matter is considered in its political aspect, that, 
at the very moment when our government is endeavoring to 
obtain the importation of the Greek currant into America free 
of duty, the attorney general should bring Mr. King, who is 
an agent of America, to trial, and that the court should order 
his expulsion from Greece — all this seems to us, to say the 
least, a political solecism." 

" Mr. King," it added, "has been prosecuted and com- 
demned to expulsion, for teaching every Sunday, in his own 
house, the tenets of the denomination to which he belongs. 
Don Constantine, the parish priest of the Catholics, who preach- 
es, not in his private house, but in the Catholic church, doc- 
trines contrary to our holy religion, should, therefore, also be 
prosecuted, if the king's attorney wishes to be consistent. Con- 
sequently, we must destroy the article in the Constitution re- 
specting toleration, and proclaim that every religion, indeed, 
is tolerated, and its rites may be celebrated without hinder- 
ance ; but that the priests of the foreign religion will be pros- 
ecuted penally, unless they profess the doctrines of the Ortho- 
dox Church." 

Nor did the conduct of the judges escape the animadversion 
it richly deserved. All intelligent men were shocked to find 
that the most sacred provisions of law had been violated. 
Even papers that could not be suspected of sympathy with 
Dr. King or his work, joined in denouncing a trial in which 
" the legal tribunals of Greece" — to use the forcible language 
of Mr. Marsh — "had been guilty of an abuse of the princi- 
ples of justice, and a perversion of the rules of law, as fla- 
gitious as any that ever disgraced the records of the Star 
Chamber." 

" We can not forbear to mark vdth reprobation," said the 
Courier of Athens, "all that occurred in the court-room. The 
evening before the trial of Mr. King, some pious individuals 
had distributed a profusion of printed cards of invitation. On 
the day of the discussion, a crowd of the lovers of scandal re- 
paired to the rendezvous with a determination to exercise a 
pressure on the court. The lawyers were at every moment 
interrupted by vociferations, while the remarks of the prose- 
cuting attorney were gi'eeted with loud applause. Could not 



MISSION OF MR. MARSH. 365 

a little more, we will not say severity, but impartiality, have 
repressed such manifestations, so contrary to our manners, to 
the dignity of j ustice, and to the spirit of toleration that char- 
acterizes and does honor to the Greek people *? We are grieved 
to be compelled to announce that the liberty of defence, and 
the gravity which should preside at the deliberations of jus- 
tice, have been greatly compromised. Especially are we pained 
when we think of the long echo which this trial can not fail 
to have through the United States — that country, so great in 
its present, so immense in its future, and which showed itself 
so sympathetic, so enthusiastic even, for the cause of our in- 
dependence." 

The subsequent history of Dr. King's case may be summed 
up in few words. Besides the unjust trial to which he had 
been subjected, there were other grievances of longer standing. 
He was proprietor of a considerable plot of ground on the 
outskirts of Athens, wliich he had originally bought of the 
Turks for a mere pittance. As the city increased, it became 
exceedingly valuable. But the government, in 1835, an- 
nounced the intention of taking a part of it for a public square; 
and though this plan was never put into execution. Dr. King 
was debarred from building upon it himself, and, of course, 
could imd no purchaser. Thus the matter stood for seven- 
teen years ; the government neither taking, nor allowing him 
to make use of the land. The former American consul at 
Athens had, of his own accord, laid the case before Mr. Web- 
ster, and sent on for the documents relative to it. ^ 

With characteristic promptitude, Mr. Webster, then Secre- 
tary of State, on the 29th of April — just one month and four 
days after the publication of the decision of the Areopagus — 
instructed Mi'. George P. Marsh, our minister resident at Con- 
stantinople, to proceed to Athens, and investigate the facts re- 
lating to the alleged grievances of Dr. King. Mr. Marsh ar- 
rived at Athens August 1st, 1852, and, after completing his 
inquiries, left on the 21st of the same month. His able re- 
ports, since published by the American government, exhibit 
the injustice of the treatment Dr. King has received at the 
hands of the Greeks in the clearest manner. On the 5th of 
February, 1853, Mr. Everett, who had succeeded to the JDe- 



366 TRIAL OF DR. KING. 

partment of State, on the death of Mr. Webster, directed Mr. 
Marsh to return to Athens, and demand of the Greek govern- 
ment an entire remission of the sentence passed upon Dr. 
King, and a pecuniary indemnification for the land he had 
been deprived of. The opinion entertained by the American 
government may be inferred from the following passage: "The 
whole character of the proceedings, as minutely detailed by 
you, is such as to place the character of the Greek tribunals 
and the administration of justice in an unfavorable light. 
Either the sound and safe maxims of criminal jurisprudence, 
which prevail in this country, are unknown to the jurispru- 
dence of Greece, or her tribunals were presided over by per- 
sons who entertained very false notions of the judicial char- 
acter, or there are prejudices against Dr. King which, in his 
case, at least, corrupted the fountains of justice. It is not in 
the power of this government, at so great a distance, to form 
a confident opinion to which of the above-mentioned causes 
the result of Dr. King's trial is to be ascribed. It may have 
been in part produced by all three, and there is reason to sup- 
pose that such is the case. This state of things unavoidably 
destroys all confidence in the Greek courts, so far as Dr. King 
is concerned, and compels the president to regard their decision 
in this case as unjust and oppressive." 

The conduct of the Greek government in answer to the de- 
mands of Mr. Marsh was not such as the American govern- 
ment had a right to expect. The printed correspondence re- 
veals a variety of subterfuges to avoid compliance with the 
dictates of justice and an enlightened policy, an avoidance of 
the points in issue, and other evasions such as cunning would 
readily suggest to obstinacy, for the sake of gaining time. 
Mr. Marsh left Athens without having succeeded in persuad- 
ing the Greek cabinet. During the following winter the gov- 
ernment, of its own accord, granted to Dr. King a full remis- 
sion of the sentence of imprisonment and exile. At length 
Mr. Pryor, specially commissioned by the president, in the 
summer of 1855, to procure an indemnification from the 
Greek government, succeeded in obtaining precisely what had 
been so obstinately refused two years previous — that is to 
say, if I am rightly informed, the sum of $25,000 for the 



RESULTS OF THE TRIAL. 367 

land taken away from Dr. King by the opening of the pub- 
lic square. 

Such have been the consequences of a trial unequalecl in 
importance by any that have come before a Greek tribunal 
since the establishment of national independence. It was in- 
stituted by the fanaticism of the priestly party, with the pur- 
pose of crushing all religious discussion. It has resulted in 
the firm establishment of toleration as guaranteed to all 
known religions by the first article of the Constitution. And 
while convincing the Greek government that the United States 
stands ready to espouse the cause of any of its citizens in dis- 
tress, it has strengthened the hands of the American mission- 
aries in Greece, by evidencing the interest which American 
Christians feel in those who are battling for their holy faith 
at distant points of the globe. 







GATE OP THE NEW AGOEA. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

DEPARTURE FROM ATHENS— SYRA— CORFU. 

After bidding adieu to the good friends whose kind offices 
had contributed so much to render my stay at Athens both 
agreeable and advantageous, I rode down to Piraeus on the 
day before the steamer left, and spent some hours in taking 
leave of my acquaintances there. One of the number was 
Madame Caratzas, daughter of the famous Marco Bozzaris, 
and formerly one of the maids of honor to Queen Amelia. She 
is a fine-looking woman; but scarcely impresses one with 
the idea that she was ever so beautiful as she is said to have 
been by those who saw her ten years ago. She has several 
young children. The name of Marco Bozzaris, though never 
mentioned but with profound gratitude by the Greeks, is not 
so much in the mouths of the people as a stranger would ex- 
pect. This is to be accounted for by the fact that, cut off in 
the midst of his course, his influence upon the issue of the 
Revolution was unimportant, save in a moral point of view» 



THE MAID OK ATHENS. ' 369 

as he afforded a glorious example to his countrymen. He is, 
moreover, represented by many of the Greeks as an illiterate 
man, little distinguished above most of the combatants, who 
would probably never have emerged from an obscure sphere, 
had not his magnanimous death been immortalized by the pen 
of Halleck and of others, and by the enthusiasm of Christian 
Kurope. I am loth, however, to give credit to any statement 
that detracts from the traditional honor in which the name 
of Marco Bozzaris is held. 

The country seat of ]VIr. Contostaulos, to which I next re- 
paired, lies out of Piraeus, and his house is surrounded by a 
garden of ten acres reduced to profitable cultivation. Mr. C., 
who speaks English well, was one of the agents that came to 
the United States during the late revolution to attend to the 
construction of a frigate or two for the Greek navy. Al- 
though, in the progress of the negotiations to secure this ob- 
ject, much money was, without doubt, squandered uselessly, 
the character of Mr. Contostaulos has been triumphantly vin- 
dicated from all aspersion. In the neighborhood of this villa, 
I entered an establishment lately erected by a Mr. Rallis for 
the unwinding of silk from the cocoon. I was informed that 
upward of forty operatives were employed, and that the daily 
produce is one hundred and forty large hanks of silk, weigh- 
ing more than twenty pounds. The investment is, probably, 
a profitable one ; for the wages of operatives vary from six- 
teen to twenty-five cents a day. 

The famous " Maid of Athens," whose memory will endure 
so long as Lord Byron is remembered, besides exchanging her 
name of Theresa Macri for the more prosaic Mrs. Black, has 
transferred her residence to Piraeus. That she was fascina- 
ting once, no one can doubt that has read the glowing de- 
scriptions not only of Byron, but also of other travelers. It 
may be readily imagined, however, that forty-two years have 
not passed since the poet saw her without producing consid- 
erable changes in her personal appearance. Her childi'en 
have inherited a large share of her beauty. Travelers have 
frequently remarked that they never beheld a more noble 
frame than that of her eldest son, whose premature death 
since my departure has thrown a gloom over a once happy 

Q2 



370 DEPARTURE FROM ATHENS— StRA'>™CORFU. 

family, and over a lai'ge circle of acquaintance. Mr. Black 
is Professor of English in one of the two Athenian Gymnasia, 
and holds at the same time the post of British Vice-consul. 

Modern Piraeus covers only a small portion of the site of 
the ancient town. The houses are mostly collected on the 
eastern side of the largest of three harbors, all of which were 
once used for commercial purposes. Old Piraeus, which is 
supposed to have equaled in size, or even surpassed Athens 
itself, seems to have extended over the rocky peninsula of 
Munychia, as well as the more populous districts of Piraeus 
proper and Phalerum. A lofty wall, whose circuit can be 
easily traced, ran around the entire town, constituting as 
strong a defence from ,the sea-board as on the land side ; and 
the entrances to the harbors, which were rendered narrow by 
strong piers projecting from the opposite sides, in time of dan- 
ger were further guarded by heavy chains extended between 
their abutments. 

Very few traces of public and private edifices remain. Near 
the port of Munychia, the principal bathing-place of the pres- 
ent inhabitants, there is the foundation of a temple dedicated 
to Diana. Not far from the same spot a theatre seems to 
have existed. Tradition points out, on the heights of Phale- 
rum, the locality where St. Paul saw the altar dedicated to 
the " Unknown God," of which he made such happy use in 
his speech on Mars' HilL The altar is a rude detached rock, 
six or eight feet in height, one side of which has been cut into 
a regular fa§ade, with a niche between two imperfect pilas- 
ters. The hypothesis that this was the altar referred to by 
the Apostle, rests on the slender basis of a passage in Pausa- 
nias, which says that there were altars to unknown gods at 
Phalerum, without specifying their precise locality. It is ex- 
ceedingly doubtful whether the rock served as an altar at all. 
On another part of the same hill, an opening in the ground 
leads downward by a stairway to a great depth. Its use ap- 
pears to be unknown, unless it may have been to gain access 
to a secret well. 

On the 28th of September, bidding farewell to Eev. Mr. 
and Mrs. Buel, at whose hospitable mansion I had spent the 
previous night, and to a number of my Athenian friends, who 



HERMOPOUS. 371 

had ridden down to see me leave, I went on board the small 
Austrian steamer ArcJiiduca Ludovico, bound for Syra. By a 
singulai* and unforeseen coincidence, it was the anniversary of 
my arrival at the same port. 

Our steamer should have started at six o'clock p.m. ; but it 
was full an hour later before we got under way. A short 
distance from us lay a government sloop at anchor. A stout 
man dressed in gaudy costume, who stood on its deck, mo*- 
nopolized the attention of all the Greek passengers. This 
was the public executioner. Such is the repugnance enter- 
tained by the modern Greeks for the infliction of capital pun- 
ishment, that the greatest difficulty is experienced in obtain- 
ing any one willing to execute the sentence of the law. The 
executioner is certain of falling a victim to the revenge of the 
friends of the culprit, unless extraordinary measures are taken 
for his protection. The individual that was on board the 
sloop-of-war had been successively carried to Chalcis and oth- 
er places, where executions took place. 

It was already quite dark when we started ; and in making 
our way out of the harbor, we barely, escaped sinking a small 
pleasure-boat. We reached the island of Syra early the next 
morning, and anchored off the city of Hermopolis. A few 
hours only were allowed the passengers to pass to the larger 
steamers, that were to convey them, according to their desti- 
nation, either to Trieste, or to Smyrna and Constantinople. 
I improved the little time thus afforded me in looking about 
the town. 

A boatman whom I engaged to convey me to the shore 
promised to conduct me to the house of Rev. Mr. Hildner. 
The city is entirely modern ; for the old village of Syra before 
the Revolution covered only the top of a lofty hill. Hermo- 
polis extends over the lower portion of the same hill ; and be^ 
tween the two towns there intervenes a considerable space of 
open ground. Syra proper was constructed at a time when, 
on account of the depredations of pirates, the most inaccessi- 
ble spots were chosen for the sites of towns and villages. The 
lower town is probably by far the most commercial place in 
Greece, not even excepting Patras.* The population is about 

* According to the statements of a Greek journal, it had in 1852 



372 DEPARTURE FROM ATHENS— SYRA— CORFU. 

eighteen thousand, of whom twenty-five hundred live in the 
upper town. The inhabitants of this quarter are almost ex- 
clusively Roman Catholics, and the hill is crowned by a mon- 
astery belonging to that denomination. As we ascended the 
hill to Mr. Hildner's house, we found the streets so steep that 
I was not astonished that no carriages or conveyances of any 
kind were to be seen. Indeed, I do not know that any are 
employed. 

Mr. Hildner received me very kindly, and insisted on my 
going with him to see the schools under his charge, connected 
with the " Church Missionary Society" of England. They con- 
tain at present about two hundred and fifty scholars; and 
the number would undoubtedly be much larger, were it not 
for the opposition of the government and clergy, excited by 
the determination he has evinced not to introduce the Cate- 
chism of the prevailing church. * The method of instruction is 
partly Lancasterian. A Greek gentleman, Mr. Evangelides, 
who was educated in the United States, has established a 
flourishing academy in Syra. I had only time to call on him 
for a few moments, as the steamer for Trieste left at noon. 

Our new steamer, the Fonvard, sailed the whole afternoon 
among the Cyclades. When I came on deck the next morn- 
ing, we were off" the southern coast of Messenia, near the 
island of Sapienza. Passing by the old Turkish town of 
Modon, whose walls reach to the water's edge, we pursued 
our way northward, keeping close to the shore. This gave us 
an admirable opportunity for seeing the Bay of Navarino, so 
famous both in ancient and modern times. It is of a semi- 
circular shape, and the long and narrow island of Sphacteria, 
or Sphagia, nearly incloses it, leaving a single narrow entrance 
at the southern end. The old town of Navarino, or Neo-castro, 
as it is universally called by the Greeks, occupies very nearly 
the site of Pylus, the home of Nestor, mentioned in the first 

six hundred and eighty-four vessels of all kinds, With a capacity of about 
eighty-eight thousand tons, and manned by near five thousand sailors. 
Tlie greater part of these are, of course, small vessels ; there were one 
hundred and fifty-three of between three and foui' hundred tons, and 
only nine between four and five hundred. The value of the whole ship- 
ping was estimated at $1,760,000, 



SHRINE OF SAINT SPYRIDON. 373 

books of the Odyssey. The island of Sphacteria is celebrated 
for the defeat and capture of a Lacedaemonian detachment in 
the seventh year of the Peloponnesian war ; in which the 
boast of the braggart Cleon met so unexpected a fulfillment. 
The bay itself was signalized by the conflict between the 
Allied and Turco-Egyptian fleets, on October 20th, 1827, an 
action which arose from what would seem to have been a 
casual occurrence, and ended in the total annihilation of the 
Turkish fleet. In the course of three hours, two hundred and 
fourteen ships were sunk, disabled, or captured ; and from that 
time the independence of Greece was established. 

That afternoon about four o'clock we entered the harbor 
of Zante. The city is situated at the foot of a high ridge, on 
whose summit is a fort occupied by the British garrison. We 
stopped merely to take in and land passengers. The next 
morning at five we were entering the harbor of Corfu, the 
ancient Corcyra, the chief island of the Ionian Confederacy, 
and the residence of the English lord high commissioner. 

Having a few hours to spend in this place, where several 
days could be occupied to advantage, I landed with an Ionian 
lawyer, whose acquaintance I made at Athens, and who was 
returning from a visit to Zante. By special favor, we were 
permitted to take our seats in the boat of the health-officer. 
As it was yet early, I walked with my friend first of all to 
the famous shrine of St. Spyridon, the patron saint of the 
island. His bones, which are reputed to be possessed of 
miraculous properties, and which, doubtless, exhale that singu- 
lar sweetness peculiar, according to the legendaries, to saintly 
relics, are encased in a silver sarcophagus, and deposited in a 
comer of the chancel. My companion told me that thousands 
of the laboring classes visit the church every morning before 
going about their daily work, in order to kiss the silver coffin, 
and expect by this pious act to insure good success in all their 
occupations. 

A recent occurrence has tended to raise to a still higher 
pitch the awe in which the relics are held. A lawyer, as the 
story goes, not long since brought suit against a former client 
for about one hundred dollars, due as a remuneration for his 
services. The respondent averred that he had paid the money 



374 DEPARTURE PROM ATHENS SYRA CORFU- 

some months previous ; but confessed that, relying on his law- 
yer's honesty, he had taken no receipt. This the plaintiff 
stoutly denied, and confirmed his denial by an oath taken on 
the Gospel. The judges having long since perceived that the 
people are more afraid of perjuring themselves when sworn on 
the relics of St. Spyridon than when they merely kiss the 
Scriptures, resorted to this expedient in order to extort the 
truth. The lawyer, however, still persisted in his demand, and 
invoked upon himself the vengeance of St. Spyridon if a word 
of what he said was false. Thus he gained his suit. Not 
long afterward, his right hand, with which he had touched 
the silver sarcophagus, began to mortify j and the gangrene 
spread so rapidly that it could only be checked by the ampu- 
tation of his arm. The superstitious immediately inferred his 
guilt, and attributed his misfortune to the efficiency of the 
relics. The incident has very sensibly augmented the venera- 
tion of the common people ; and this feeling is fostered by the 
ecclesiastics, who profit by the increased amount of contribu- 
tions to the funds of the church. 

I called at Corfu on the Rev. Mr. Chartres, chaplain of one 
of the Scotch regiments, and a missionary of the English 
Presbyterian Church among the Jews, of whom there are 
great numbers here. While walking with me to the summit 
of the citadel, he gave me some account of his labors, and the 
difficulties he had encountered in imparting instruction to the 
Jews, and particularly in overcoming the prejudice entertained 
by that people against the education of girls. From the cita- 
del there was an excellent view not only of the city, but of 
the surrounding country. The ancient Corcyra is supposed to 
have stood considerably south of the present city, which is 
crowded into a narrow space by two heights, each crowned 
with fortifications. There are two mountains in sight, Monte 
Decca on the south, and Monte San Salvadore on the north, 
at a greater distance. There is a bay just in sight below 
Mount Decca, at whose mouth is said to be situated the rock 
called the " Sail of Ulysses." In the same direction are the 
" Gardens of Alcinous^^ and the fountain where the poet tells 
us Ulysses surprised Nausicaa and her maids. 

The city of Corfu contains about twenty thousand inhabit- 



THE IONIAN CONFEDERATION. 375 

ants, and is very compactly built, from the nature of its situa- 
tion. The Jewish quarter is large, and the synagogues, though 
with an unpretending exterior, are well furnished. As usual, 
several congregations worship in differeiit stories of the same 
edifice. Two or three British regiments are stationed here, 
and there are altogether five in the Ionian Confederation. The 
English rule here more as masters than as protectors. From 
the tone of public sentiment, as expressed in the Legislature 
and by the press, there appears to be little sympathy felt by 
the lonians for the English. The attempt to cause the hete- 
rogeneous elements to coalesce, has thus far proved abortive. 
The inhabitants of the " Seven Islands," claiming a common 
origin with the Greeks, are already anxious to effect a union 
with the kingdom of Otho. Italian has until lately been the 
official language ; but recently the Legislature has decreed that 
all speeches must be made in Greek. The rule is very incon- 
venient for those who are accustomed to make use of the 
Italian alone ; but it will draw yet closer the bonds that unite 
the Ionian Confederation to the Hellenic kingdom. The young 
men will henceforth be obliged to complete their education at 
the University of Athens, instead of resorting to the schools 
of Pisa, Bologna, or Rome. 

At eleven o'clock our steamer weighed anchor, and we 
were once more under way for Trieste. We kept close to the 
high coast of Albania, and before night bad reached the Dal- 
matian frontier. 



INDEX. 



A. 

Abae, remains of, 248. 

Achraet-Aga, 263. 

Acrocorinthus, great strength of, 157. 

Acropolis of Athens, its walls of all ages, 31. 

^galeos, Mount, 281. 

^geus, 38. 

-(Egina, 164, etc. ; ruins of temple of, 165. 

Aganippe, fountain of, 273. 

Agora, or market-place of Modern Athens, 

25. 
Agora, gate of the new, 65. 
Alaric, at Athens, tradition as to, 47. 
Albanians in Greece, 271. 
Alpheus, river, 206. 
Amelia, Queen, personal appearance of, 

105. 
Amphissa, 283. 
Andritzena, 205. 
Antiquities, exportation of, prohibited, 

104 ; little attention paid to, 332. 
Apollo Epicurius, temple of, 204. 
Arachova, village of, 238. 
Archseological Society of Athens, 332. 
Areopagus, or Mars' Hill, 62; St, Paul 

preaches there, 63. 
Argolic plain, 143. 
Argos, ancient and modem, 151. 
Armor, discovery of ancient, 266, 267. 
Arnold, Eev. Mr., missionary labors of, 

126. 
Artemisium, Straits of, 262, 263. 
Asopius, Professor, 78, 331. 
Athens, entrance into, 19; mortality of, 

100, note. 
Athens, plain of, 17, 284. 
Athens, streets of, 21, 73 ; badly laid out 

of old, 30, 31. 
Athos, Mount, its monks the chief teach- 
ers in 18th century, 315. 
Atreus, Treasury of, at Mycenae, 147, 148. 
Aulis, site of, 270. 

B. 

Bacchus, Theatre of, 57. 

Ballad Poetry, 343, etc.; classes of, 344; 

collections of, 354, note. 
Bambas, Neophytus, 80; translates the 

Bible, 330 ; works of, 331. 
Baptism, 98 ; by trine immersion, 99. 
Basil, Saint, songs in honor of, 351. 
Bible, translated into Modem Greek, 331 ; 

introduced into the public schools as a 

text-book, ib. 
Blessing the Sea, 133. 
Boucovallas, John, song of, 349. 
Bozzaris, Marco, 368, 369. 
Bribery in the Greek Church, 124, 



Buchon, M. ; discoveries at Daphne, 282. 

Buel, Eev. Mr., missionary labors of, 126, 
etc. 

Byron, Lord ; remarks on the Greek Lit- 
erature of 18th century, 315. 

C. 

Cadmeum of Thebes, 272. 

Calandri, 299. 

Calauria, now Poros, 140. 

Calavryta, 224. 

Callidromus, Mount, 254. 

Callirrhoe, fountain of, 53. 

Capo d'Istria, murder of, 152. 

Caratzas, Madame, daughter of Marco 
Bozzaris, 368. 

Caryatides, portico of, 44. 

Castalia, fountain at Delphi, 235. 

Castaniotissa, murder at, 264, note. 

Castri, 234. 

Catalan Grand Company ; their victory 
and conquest of the duchy of Athens, 
247. 

Catechism of Plato, 120, 121, note. 

"Cathreptes Gynaicon," 316. 

Cenchrea, 158. 

Cephissus, Athenian river, 294. 

Cephissus, Boeotian, valley of, 242. 

Chseronea, acropolis of, 240 ; battle of, 240, 
241 ; lion of, 242. 

Chalcis, 266 ; discovery of ancient annor 
at, 266, 267. 

Charon, has taken the place of Mercury, 
353. 

Chartres, Rev. Mr., labors of, among the 
Jews, 374. 

Christopoulos, lyric poems of, 329, 330. 

Church, interior arrangements of, 134. 

Church, Sir Richard, 26, etc. 

Cimon, builds a temple to Victory, 37. 

Cithseron, Mount, 276. 

Cleonse, 156. 

Clergy, condition of, 123. 

Clitor, traces of, 212. 

Cnemis, Mount, 253. 

Colonos, hillock of, 294. 

Constitution, how obtained, 108 ; its pro- 
visions, 108, etc. 

Consulate, disturbance at the American, 
23. 

Contostaulos, Mr., 369. 

Copais, Lake, 246, 272. 

Coray, or Coraes, Adamantius ; life of, 316 ; 
his youth, 317; goes to France, ib. ; 
translates Strabo, 318 ; his classical se- 
ries, 319 ; religious sentiments of, 321 ; 
translates the "Advice of Three Bish- 
ops," ib. ; considers the Revolution pre- 



178 



INDEX. 



mature, 322; views in respect to the 
language, 325, 326. 

Corfu (or Corcyra), island of, 373, 374, 375. 

Corinth, 157, 158; Gulf of, 232. 

Corycian Cave, on Mount Parnassus, his- 
tory of, 236. 

Costumes, of the Athenians, 71 ; at Exar- 
cho, 249, 250. 

Cottage, interior of a, 189, etc. 

Coumanoudes, 329. 

Crissa, town of, 233. 

Cynosura, promontory of, 285, 

D. 

Daphne, Monastery of, 282; burial-place 

of the dukes of Athens, ib. 
Daulis, ruins of the acropolis of, 239. 
Deceleia, pass of, 285. 
Declaration of Independence, 167. 
Delphi (now Castri), necropolis of, 233; 

vale and ruins of, 234. 
Delphi, Mount, in Euboea, 265. 
Demetrius, Saint, legend respecting, 68. 
" Digging through" walls, 74. 
Doukas, Neophytus, 323; his views of the 

Modern Greek, 324; his works, ib., 

note. 
Drami Ali Pasha, rout of, 153. 

E. 

Education, statistics of, 85, 86, 87. 

Elatea, remains of, 251 ; taken by Philip 
of Macedon, ih. ; consequent consterna- 
tion at Athens, 252. 

Electioneering, 140. 

Eleusis, ruins of, 280 ; harbor of, 281. 

Elgin, Lord, spoiler of Greece, 45. 

Epidaurus, 166, etc. 

Erechtheum, 43. 

Euboea, island, scenery of, 263, etc; fer- 
tility of, 264. 

Euripus, 265, 269. 

Exarcho, village of, 248 ; costume of the 
women at, 249, 250. 

Executioner, hatred entertained against, 
371. 

F. 

Fallmerayer, Professor, 335. 

Fauriel, C. ; on Greek popular songs, 344. 

Finlay, George, the historian, 28, 29, 335, 

note. 
Fountain, miraculous, at Sjniani, 303. 
Fountains for travelers, 290. 
Fruit, various kinds produced in Greece, 

26. 
Funeral processions, 100, 101. 

G. 

Galanos, Demetrius, studies Oriental lan- 
guages, 336 ; translations by, 337. 

Galaxidi, town of, 233. 

Gazes, Archimandrite, lexicon of, 341. 

Germanos, Bishop; his history of the 
Greek Revolution, 333, 334. 

Government, administration of, lit. 

Grecian States, small extent of, 179. 

Greek Ballads, 343, etc. 

Greek Church, 115, etc- ; in Greece inde- 
pendent of the Patriarch, 117 ; doctrines 
of, 120, etc. 



Greek Language, Modem; close resem- 
blance to the Ancient, 307 ; disadvanta- 
geous comparisons of, 308; sounds of 
letters in, ib. ; pronounced according to 
accent, 309; grammatical changes in, 
ib. ; introduction of foreign words, 810 ; 
reaction in this century, ib. ; supplants 
the Italian in the Ionian Legislature, 
375. 

Greek Literature, Modem, 313, etc. 

H. 

Hadrian, Emperor, rebuilds Athens, 48. - 

Hadrian, Gate of, 49. 

Hadrian, Stoa of, 64. 

Hair, long, in token of mourning and re- 
venge, 72. 

Helicon, Mount, 273. 

Herjea, 206. 

Hermopolis, 371. 

Herodes, Atticus, wealth of, 57; Odeum 
of, 58. 

Hiero of ./Esculapius, 169, etc. ; theatre at, 
170. 

Hildner, Rev. Mr._, schools of, 372. 

Hill, Rev., Dr., missionary labors of, 126, 
etc. 

Holy Week at Athens, 128, etc. 

Honey of Mount Hymettus, 304. 

Horologium of Cyrrhestea, 64. 

Hyampolis, ruins of, 251. 

Hydra, island and town of, 14, 140. 

Hymettus, Mount, 302. 

Hypate, or Neo-Patras, 257. 

Hysise (now Achladocampo), 176. 



Ilissus, River, 52. 

Imprecation against trespassers, 32, 

Inscriptions, discovery of, 333. 

Isthmus of Corinth, former canal through, 

159. 
Ithome, Mount, 196; its brave defence, 

197. 

J. 
Jupiter, temple of, at Olympia, 207. 
Jupiter Olympius, temple of, at Athens, 

50 ; histoiy of, 51. 
Jupiter Panhellenius, temple of, at ^gina, 

164, 165. 
Justinian, Emperor, confiscates the funds 

of the schools, 314. 



Kaires, Theophilus, 340, note. 

Kalamaki, 159. 

Kariskakis, grave of, 18. 

Katavothra, or subten-aneous channels, 
175,' 214, 237, 246, 265. 

Keratia, 291. 

Khassia, calyvia of, 295. 

Khelmos, Mount, 213. 

King, Rev. Jonas; appearance of, 22; 
missionary labors of, 126 ; trial of, 355, 
etc. ; sentenced to imprisonment and ex- 
ile, 361 ; imprisonment of, 362 ; his sen- 
tence affirmed by the Areopagus, 363 ; 
his trial, how regarded by the Press, 
363, etc. ; American Government inter- 
feres in his behalf, 365 ; results of his 
trial, 366, 367. 



INDEX. 



379 



Kleft, Wounded, song of, 848. 

Klofts, description of, 345, etc. ; incidents 
in the life of, described in ballads, 34T, 
348; snug at panegy7-is, 349; change in, 
350. 

L. 

Lala, siege of, 209. 

Lamia, or Zeitun, 25T. 

Lamps, simple construction of, 220. 

Larissa of Argos, 173. 

Larissa Cremaste, ruins of, 252. 

Laurium, Mount, silver mines of, 291. 

Lebadea, or Livadia, ancient and modem, 
243, 244. 

Leeves, Henry, murder of, 264, note. 

Lernian marsh, 142, 1T4. 

Leuctra, battle and battle-field of, 2T3, 
2T4. 

Lexicography, Greek, _841. 

Lions, Gate of, at Mycenas, 148, 149 ; de- 
scription by Pausanias, 150. 

Long Walls of Athens, 18, 61. 

LoAvndes, Rev. Mr., dictionaries of, 341. 

Lycabettus, Mount, near Athens, 24, 284. 

Lysicrates, choragic monument of, 54, etc. 

M. 

"Maid of Athens," the, 369. 

Male sex, preference of, 75. 

Mamoukas; his documentary history of 
the Revolution, 334, Tiote. 

Mantinea, 178, etc. 

Marathon, plain of, 285; mound at, 286; 
battle of, ib. ; number of combatants at, 
ib. 

Marathona, village of, 288. 

Marriage ceremony in Greece, 90, etc. 

IManiage, compulsory, 92. 

Masonry, Greek, periods of, 250, note. 

Mass, celebration of the, 135. 

Medrese, the common prison of Athens, 25. 

Megalopolis (now Sinano), 193. 

Megaspelion, Monastery of, 225, etc. 

Mercantile Houses of Greeks abroad, 16, 
note. 

Messene, stadium of, 199 ; great gate of, 
200. 

Messenian plain, 195. 

Metros, Theodore, dying song of, 348. 

Miaulis, Admiral, tomb of, 138. 

Middle Ages, destruction of monuments 
belonging to, 36. 

Minerva the Health-giver, altar or pedes- 
tal of, 45. 

Minerva Hellotis, temple of, at Marathon, 
288. 

Minerva Parthenon, temple of, 38, etc. 

Minei'va Promachus, sta,tue of, 46. 

Minerva, temple of, at Sunium, 292. 

Mints for counterfeit Turkish coin at Hy- 
dra, 141. 

Minyas, Treasury of, at Orchomenus, 245. 

Missionaries, American, in Greece, 126, 
127. 

Mistra, 184, 188. 

Moerologia, or Laments, 352, 353. 

Monembasia, strong situation of, 14. 

Mortality of Athens, 100, 7iote. 

Muller, death of, 235, note. 

Museum, hill, at Athens, 59. 

Mycense, ruins of, 146, etc. 



N. 
Nauplia, or Napoli di Romania, 141, etc., 

172. 
Navarino, battle of, 378. 
Nemea, ruins of the temple of, 154, 155. 
Newspapers published in Greece, their 

number, 311, note. 
Nymphs, Grotto of the, at Cephisia, 289. 
Nymphs, Observatory on the Hill of the, 

85. 

O. 

Observatory at Athens, 85. 

Odysseus, a revolutionary chief, reported 
vandalism of, 242. 

GEdipus, at Schiste, 289 ; at Colonos, 294. 

CEnoe, acropolis of, 276 ; interior of a tow- 
er of, 277 ; fortifications of, 278. 

Offerings to the dead, 101, 102. 

Olonos, Mount, the ancient Erymanthus, 
210. 

Olympia, temple of Jupiter at, 207 ; heat 
of the valley of, 208. 

Olympus, Mount, 263. 

Opisthodomus, or State treasury of Athens, 
40. 

Orchomenus, 245 ; Treasury of Minyas at, 
ib. ; acropolis of, ib. 

Oreos, or Histiasa, 262, 

Otho, King of Greece, 107. 

Othrys, Mount, 258. 



Palace garden, antiquities in, 70. 

Palamede, the, at Nauplia, 141. 

Pallantium, 180. 

Panathenaic procession, 33. 

Panegyri, or fair, 180, 349. 

Panopeus, remains of the acropolis of, 239, 

Papa Trechas, story of, 320. 

Pardon, plenary ; offered by the Patriarch 
of Jerusalem, 124. 

Parnassus, Mount, ascent of, 236, 238. 

Parthenon, or temple of Minerva, at Ath- 
ens, situation of, 38, 39 ; becomes a 
Christian Church, 40; ruined by the 
Venetians, ib. ; frieze of, 41 ; Avorkshop 
of, 42 ; recent discoveries respecting, 
ib. 

Parties, political, 112 ; ecclesiastical, 125. 

PeUana, 188. 

Pentele (or Mendele), Monastery of, 299, 
301. 

Pentelicus, Mount, marble quarries of, 
300 ; prospect from, 301. 

Periodicals published at Athens, 311, note. 

Pharmakides, Professor, 118, 338. 

Pheneus (now Phonia), lake of, 215; its 
outlet, ib. ; rising of its waters, 217 ; 
monastery of, 218. 

Phigalea, 203 ; temple of (at Bassee), 204. 

Philopappus, monument of, 59, 60. 

Phoron, harbor of, 304. 

Phyle, fortress of, 296; Thrasybulus at, 
297 ; views of, 293, 313. 

Pinacotheke of the Athenian Acropolis, 35. 

Pirseus, the port of Athens, 3, 370. 

Pitch, wines of Greece flavored with, 280. 

Pittakes, Mr., Inspector General of An- 
tiquities in Greece, 39, 332, 

Plaisance, duchess of, 299, 



380 



INDEX. 



Platsea, 275 ; battle of, ib. ; history of, 276. 
Pnyx, at Athens, 62. 
Polymeres, lexicon of, 342. 
Population of G-reece, actual, 85 ; possible, 

243. 
Pottery, ancient, singular remains of, 59. 
Prayer, posture observed in, 135. 
Presentation at Court, 105. 
Profanity among the Greeks, 214. 
Propylsea of the Athenian Acropolis, great 

strength of, 34. 
Psophis (now Tripotamo), 211. 
Pundonitza, village of, 253. 

R. 

Eachi, village of, plundered by robbers, 

258, etc. 
Radinos, translator of Herodotus, 332. 
Rangabes, A., poems of, 329. 
Revenue of Greece, 113. 
Revival of learning in the 18th century, 

its causes, 314. 
Revolution, Greek, histories of the, 333, 

334. 
Rheiti, salt-springs of, 281. 
Road, ancient Greek, 269. 
Robberies in Northern Greece, 257, etc. 
Romaic dance, 132, 133. 

S. 

"Sacred Way," the, 282. 

Saints have supplanted the heathen gods, 
163. 

Salamis, Straits of, 304 ; Battle of, 305. 

Salomos, 329. 

Saripolos ; his eloquent defence of Kaires, 
840, and note. 

Scarlatus Byzantinus, lexicons of, 842. 

Schiste, pass of, 239. 

Scripu (the ancient Orchomenus), monas- 
tery of, 244. 

Sellasia, battle-field of, 183. 

Senate-house of Athens, discovery of sup- 
posed site of, 332. 

Small-pox, euphemistic name of, 353. 

Socrates, prison of, 61. 

Solos, 219. 

Soutsos, Alexander, 328. 

Soutsos, Panagiotes, 327. 

Sparta, 186, etc. 

Speliades, chronicles of, 334. 

Spezzia, 14, 141. 

Sphacteria, island of, 872. 

Spyridon, Saint, church of, 373; miracle 
performed by, 373, 374, 

Stadium of Athens, 53. 

Stoa Poecile, 66. 

Student-life in Athens, 82. 

Stylida, 257. 

Stymphalus, Lake ; supposed outlet of, 175. 

Styx, River, 221 ; mysterious properties at- 
triiauted to its waters, 222. 

Sunium, excursion to, 290 ; temple of Mi- 
nerva at, 292. 



Superstitions, remains of ancient, 353. 
Swallow, song of the, 350. 
Syra, island of, 871, 372. 
Syriani, monastery of, 302. 

T. 

Tanagra, remains of, 271. 

Taygetus, Mount, 184. 

Tegea, 181, 182. 

Tenos, church of the Evangelista at ; its 

votive offerings, 163. 
Themistocles, tomb of, 138. 
Thermopylae, pass of, 254 ; alluvial changes 

at, 255 ; hot springs at, 256. 
Thespise, site of, 272. 
Thessaly Phthiotis, 257. 
Thrasybulus at Phyle, 297. 
Three Hierarchs, feast of the, 134. 
Tiryns, ruins of, 144 ; description by Pau- 

sanias, 145. 
Tombazi, Admiral, patriotic exclamation 

of, 141. 
Tome, the Synodical, 118. 
Tricoupes, history of the Greek Revolution 

by, 334. 
Tripods, street of the, at Athens, 56, 57. 
Tripolitza, 180 ; siege of, 181. 
Trcetus, pass of, 158. 
Trophonius, cave of, at Lebadea, 243. 
Turks, the first slain in the Revolution, 

220. 



University of Otho at Athens, 77, etc. ; li- 
brary of, 79 ; professors in, 81 ; four fac- 
ulties of, 83 ; number of students, 83, 84. 

Unknown God, altar of the, 370. 



Velasti, work of, published in Greek, print- 
ed in Roman characters, 337. 

Victory without wings (apteros), temple 
of, 36, 37. 

Virgin Mary, prayer to, 122, note. 

Visits, Greek, 69. 

Vostitza, 230. 

Vourlia, 185. 

Vrana, 285. 

Vtircano, monastery of, 198. 

W. 

Wedding in the upper circles, 88, etc. 

X. 

Xenophon, equestrian statue of his sons, 

47. 
Xerochori, 262. 

Y. 

Ypsilanti, monument of, 152. 

Z. 

Zagoras, Mount, 285, 
Zante, island of, 378. 



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